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DIVINE  PICTURES 

*     JAN  24  1911 


BY  REV.  EZRA  D.  SIMONS. 


>>*ic 


TROY,  N.  Y.  : 

WM.  H.  YOUNG,  214   RIVER  STREET. 

1875. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1875, 

By  EZRA  D.  SIMONS, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


OOI^TEJ^TS. 


I. 

THE  DIVINE  ARTIST. 
The  Pictures  drawn  by  divine  hand.  Mystery  of  the  book  of  Revela- 
tion. Line  of  interpretation.  Gibbon  an  involuntary  witness.  Evi- 
dence of  fulfilled  prophecy.  Need  of  intelligent  faith  in  the 
Scriptures.  Direct  objects  of  the  Apocalypse.  The  transcriber 
of  the  visions.  Why  he  was  chosen.  Circumstances.  The  voice 
of  the  Divine  Artist.  His  qualifications  declared.  Vision  of  the 
Divine  Artist.  His  characteristics  indicated.  Effect  of  vision 
upon  John.  The  Divine  Christ.  Revelations  for  all  men.  He 
might  picture  all  our  personal  future 24 


II. 

LETTERS  TO  THE  CHURCHES. 

Interest  in  reception  of  letters.  The  character  of  the  writer  con- 
nected with  this.  How  important  is  a  letter  from  Christ.  For 
us  personally.  Location  of  churches  originally  addressed.  Seven- 
fold representation  of  Jesus.  Seven-fold  description  of  the 
churches.  Mingled  praise  and  blame.  United  threatenings  and 
promises.     Direct  application  of   the  letters 50 

III. 
THE  OPENED  DOOR  AND  UNSEALED  BOOK. 
Language   of    Revelation   emblematic.     Right   of   private  judgment. 
Opened  door.     Throne.      Rainbow.     Elders.     Four  beasts.     Who 
do  these  denote  ?     Orders  of  redeemed  souls.     Lightnings.  Thun- 
ders.     Voices.      Lamps  of  fire.     Sea  of  glass.      The  sealed  book. 


11  CONTENTS. 

The  worthy  Lamb.  The  unsealed  book.  Horses.  Seal  first 
broken.  White  horse  and  crowned  rider.  Seal  second.  Red 
horse.  Seal  third.  Black  horse.  Seal  fourth.  Pale  horse.  Seal 
fifth.  Martyrs.  Seal  sixth.  Dreadful  picture.  All  these  ful- 
filled. Seal  seventh.  Lesson  of  faith.  Future  of  God's  people  in 
hands  of  Christ  as  the  Lamb  of  God 78 

IV. 

THE  SOUNDING  TRUMPETS. 
Connection  between  Broken  Seals  and  Sounding  Trumpets.  Form 
pictures  of  entire  political  history  of  the  Christian  Centuries.  Use 
of  trumpet.  Two  groups  of  trumpets.  Strange  answer  to  pruyer. 
The  historic  test  of  book  of  Revelation.  Sounding  of  first 
Trumpet.  Fearful  hail  storm  upon  the  earth.  Second  Trumpet. 
Burning  mountain  cast  into  the  sea.  Third  Trumpet.  Star 
falling  upon  rivers.  Fourth  Trumpet.  Sun  smitten.  Fifth 
Trumpet.  First  woe  Trumpet.  Sixth  Trumpet.  Period  of  im- 
penitence       107 


THE  MIGHTY  ANGEL  AND  SEVENTH  TRUMPET. 
The  Mighty  Angel.  From  heaven.  The  Great  Reformation. 
Little  book.  New  world.  Seven  thunders.  Strange  oath.  Little 
book  eaten.  Temple  and  altar  measured.  Two  witnesses.  War  . 
against  these.  Dead  and  risen.  Effect  of  their  resurrection. 
Time  of  the  power  ruling  in  the  great  city.  Temporal  power  of 
Pope  ended.  The  Seventh  Trumpet.  Far  reaching  in  its  notes. 
Accumulating  evidence  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures.  If 
true  in  prophecies,  true  in  what  it  declares  of  experimental 
religion.     Encouragement  for  Christians 139 

VI. 

THE  GLORIOUS  WOMAN  AND  WARRING  BEASTS. 
Comprehensive  sketch  of  ecclesiastical  history.  Early  age  of  church. 
Woman.  Birth  of  New  Testament.  Efforts  of  Satan  to  destroy 
this.  Second  period  of  church  history.  Moral  conflict.  Third 
period  of  church  history.  Flight  of  true  church  into  the  wilder- 
ness.    The  deceptions  of  Satan.      General  description  of  the  exile 


CONTENTS.  Ill 

of  the  church.  The  first  beast  pictured.  Source.  Power  of. 
End  of  first  beast  prophesied  of.  Second  beast.  Council  of 
Trent.  Authority  of  beast.  How  maintained.  How  used.  Its 
name.  Papal  church  not  the  true  church,  nor  the  historic  church. 
Continuance  of  ecclesiastical  Rome  not  defined  by  numbers.  The 
two  horns;  one,  the  "  Episcopal"  church.  Series  of  visions.  New 
song.  Gospel  angel.  Babylon  doubly  fallen.  Worshipers  of 
beast  to  be  punished.  Blessed  to  die  in  the  Lord.  Reaping  time 
of  the  world.     Warning.      Encouragement 173 

VII. 

THE  SEVEN  LAST  PLAGUES. 
Means  of  overthrow  of  Papal  power.  Number  Seven.  Term  plague. 
Origin  of  the  Plagues.  God  praised  for  using  these.  Seven 
angels  of  Plagues.  Upon  earth.  Noisome  sore.  Upon  sea.  Naval 
conflict.  Upon  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters.  Blighting  sun. 
Plague  upon  seat  of  beast.  Drying  of  the  Euphrates.  Three 
devilish  spirits.  The  place  of  gathering.  Plagues  poured  upon 
the  air.  Great  city  divided  into  three  parts.  Great  hail.  Side 
scene.  The  large  number  of  symbols  fulfilled.  Seven  Plagues  all 
inflicted,  destroying  the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope.  God's  hand 
in  history  executing  judgment 211 

VIII. 

THE  BABYLON-WOMAN. 
Retrospect.  Ecclesiastical  Rome.  New  Era.  Vatican  Decrees. 
Claim  of  Infallibility.  Babylon-woman.  Imposing  appearance. 
Name.  Position.  Association  with  kings.  Eff"ect  of  this.  Cor- 
ruption of  city  of  Rome.  Woman  in  wilderness.  Scarlet  colored. 
Full  of  names  of  blasphemy.  Attire.  Cup  in  her  hand.  The 
Mystery.  Drunken.  Picture  of  Papal  church  as  now  seen.  Ex- 
planation of  angel.  Epitome  of  Romish  history.  Spiritual  fall  of 
Babylon-woman  predicted.  Reasons  for  overthrow.  Character  of 
Popes.  Eflect  of  her  downfall.  Manner  of  the  final  destruction. 
To  be  identified  with  the  Pope  and  city  of  Rome.  Nothing  strong 
or  abiding  except  it  be  the  right.     Warning . .     246 

IX. 

THE  GREAT  CONFLICT. 
Picture  of  the  Present.     Our  direct  interest.     Conflict  preceded   with 


IV  CONTENTS. 

shout  of  victory.  This  shall  embrace  the  perfection  of  the 
church  of  Christ.  Feelings  of  Apostle.  Worship  God  !  Vision  of 
embattled  hosts.  Array  of  good.  Great  leader.  His  names.  His 
weapons.  Our  part  in  the  strife.  The  forces  of  evil.  Conflict 
moral.  Peculiar  place  of.  Battle  cry.  Result  of  the  Conflict. 
Aim  at  human  soul.  Battle-ground  of  heart.  Who  are  you 
serving  ?     A  plea  for  Christ 274 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 

In  the  future.  Glory  of,  unquestioned.  Meaning  of  the  term.  Ex- 
tent of  time.  Sabbath-age.  Overthrow  of  Satan.  By  divine 
power.  Resulting  condition.  All  upon  earth  then  may  not  be 
Christians.  Positive  feature.  Rule  of  the  martyr-spirit.  Resur- 
rection of  the  body  does  not  then  take  place.  Peculiar  type  ot 
piety.  The  second-coming  of  Christ  not  yet.  Elements  of  mar- 
tyr-spirit. Righteous  may  die  natural  death.  ''  Blessed  the 
dead  who  die  in  the  Lord  henceforth."  No  war.  Final  Conflict. 
Resurrection.  Judgment.  Standards  of.  Final  condition  of  the 
Impenitent.     Nature  of  punishment.     Appeal 


XI. 

THE  REDEEMED  WORLD  AND  GLORIFIED  CHURCH. 

The  new  heaven  and  earth.  General  view.  What  and  where  is  that 
world  ?  Question  of  renovated  earth.  Human  life  transfigured. 
No  sea.  Possible  destiny  of  matter.  Danger  of  literalizing  the 
symbol.  That  world  a  reality  and  place,  though  wholly  spiritual. 
Special  aboilf:  01  the  glorified  church  of  Christ.  Blessed  condition 
01  this.  Fro:  from  the  ills  of  the  present  world.  Promise  and 
Warning.  The  inheritance  of  all  things.  The  New  Jerusalem. 
Poiticubr  view.  Picture,  not  of  heaven,  but  ot  glorified  church. 
ApplicatioM  cf  det:iils.  Renewed  danger  of  literalizing.  Closing 
lii.es.  Worship,  Finality  of  the  Revelations.  "Come!'  Only 
Jesus.    "Come,  Lord  Jesus."   329 


PREFACE. 


I  send  forth  this  volume  on  the  great  sea  of 
literature,  hoping  for  it  a  prosperous  voyage;  and 
that  into  whatever  homes  or  hands  it  may  enter, 
it  may  carry  a  blessing. 

The  Author. 


I. 
C|(  iibine  %xM. 

Revelation^  Chapter  i. 

^^HE  heavens  are  aglow  with  perpetual  splen- 
^/^  dors.  Shining  sun,  glinting  stars,  fair  moon, 
and  glowing  planets,  wide  spread  constellations, 
trailing  comets,  falling  meteors,  have  in  all  ages  at- 
tracted heavenward  the  eyes  of  men;  while  cloud 
by  day  and  night,  the  sheen  and  flash  of  lightning, 
the  crash  and  roll  of  thunder,  have  added  to  the 
wonders  of  the  sky. 

But  these  have  chief  bearing  upon  the  earth  as 
such,  and  upon  us  as  material  beings;  declaring, 
indeed,  to  our  minds  and  souls,  "the  glory  of  God, 
the  firmament  showing  his  handiwork,  day  unto 
(^ay  uttering  speech,  and  night  unto  night  showing 
knowledge,"  and  "there  is  no  voice  nor  speech 
where  their  language  is  not  heard."  But  God  has 
made  the  heavens  to  shine  with  other  splendors,  to 


6  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

be  pictured  with  syPxibols  more  mysterious,  at  the 
time,  than  the  stars  have  been;  he  has  spread  above 
the  earth,  in  the  sight  of  man,  portraitures  of  the 
future — some,  dread,  fearful,  as  awful  as  his  judg- 
ment and  indignation;  some,  bright  with  glories 
surpassing  fairest  sunrise  or  most  gorgeous  sunset 
scene — bright  with  the  splendors  of  his  throne  and 
of  the  city  of  gold. 

Human  wisdom  should  never  have  traced  these, 
as  by  no  laws  within  our  control  could  man  have 
mapped  the  things  w^hich  the  divine  hand  caused 
to  pass,  in  dioramic  view,  before  the  eyes  of  a  won- 
dering man.  At  best,  man  could  only  tell  of  them 
when  seen.  Men  can  measure  the  distance  of  the 
sun  and  planets  and  a  few  of  the  fixed  stars;  they 
can  weigh  in  their  mathematical  balances  the  worlds, 
and  give  the  size  of  these;  they  can  declare  accur- 
ately when  eclipses  shall  take  place,  and  comets 
return  from  their  wanderings;  but  they  have  no 
means  of  their  own  to  foreknow  and  describe  in 
advance  the  events  of  human  history — politically, 
socially  and  morally;  one  with  divine  vision  alone 
can  foresee,  and  only  a  divine  hand  can  portray 
beforehand  what  the  time  to  come  shall  bring  forth. 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 


Indeed,  divine  power  and  wisdom  have  to  do  with 
those  things  which  are  chiefly  the  carrying  out  of 
his  own  plans.  To  foretell,  may  be  but  to  disclose 
a  purpose  formed  embracing  the  things  revealed. 

We  should  only  expect  outlines,  not  full  drawn 
pictures;  yet  definite  enough  to  make  it  possible  to 
recognize  the  things  represented  when  these  should 
appear;  for  the  portrait  and  object  portrayed  must 
be  alike  in  the  main  features  if  they  belong  to  each 
other. 

There  has  always  been  a  mystery  about  the  book 
of  Revelation.  Doubtless,  there  was  such  to  him 
who  first  saw  the  wondrous  visions  of  this.  There 
is  such  now  about  parts  of  the  book,  for  there  are 
prophetic  symbols  not  yet  fulfilled;  and  until  the 
great  Artist  shall  point  us  to  the  rapturous  realiza- 
tion of  the  last  chapters,  will  mist  and  darkness 
keep  us  from  seeing  clearly  the  meaning  of  some  of 
the  portraitures.  To  many,  to  most,  to  almost  all 
minds,  the  whole  book  seems  to  be  sealed.  If  they 
look  at  it,  it  is  with  a  hopeless  feeling  that  it  cannot 
be  understood;  as  if  it  was  never  intended  to  be 
more  than  read.  Many  fail  to  read  it  altogether, 
except  they  turn  to  the  closing  portions  descriptive 


8  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

of  the  New  Jerusalem,  unmindful  that  this  is  the 
only  distinct  book  of  the  Bible  upon  reading  which 
a  blessing  is  pronounced.  "  Blessed  is  he  that  read- 
eth"  is  among  the  opening  lines.  Perhaps,  some 
have  thought  that  a  course  of  lectures  upon  it 
would  scarcely  be  profitable  or  interesting,  that 
something  more  practical  would  be  better ;  but,  in 
addition  to  the  fact  that  this  is  a  real  part  of  the 
word  of  God  and  so  should  be  unfolded,  is  the 
added  blessing  pronounced :  "  Blessed  are  they  that 
hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy."  I  ask  you,  then, 
to  hear  attentively  and  earnestly  and  for  yourselves ; 
for  so  shall  you,  according  to  the  promise,  be  blessed. 
If  you  judge  that  there  is  nothing  practical  here, 
mark  the  words,  "Blessed  are  they  who  keep  those 
things  which  are  written  therein." 

I  am  not  to  deal  in  fanciful  interpretations,  pleas- 
ant or  plausible  imaginings ;  but  to  point  you  to  the 
fulfillment  of  much  of  the  book,  to  the  fac-similes 
of  most  of  its  symbols;  for  it  is  a  fact  that  a  care- 
ful study  of  this  has  convinced  many  that  the  key 
to  its  storehouse  of  meaning  has  been  found.  Those 
who  have  shared  with  you  in  the  feeling  that  all  was 
mist  and  darkness,  have  discovered  the   solid  basis 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST.  9 

in  fact;  the  pictures  have  become  realities  which 
may  be  plainly  recognized. 

As  illustrating  God's  wondrous  way  of  working, 
of  using  instruments  least  likely,  it  has  been  ascer- 
tained that  Gibbon's  "  History  of  the  Decline  and 
Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,"  is  the  best  commen- 
tary in  existence,  in  the  way  of  facts,  upon  an 
important  part  of  the  book — from  the  sixth  to  the 
ninth  chapters.  No  one  will  suspect  that  the  skep- 
tical Gibbon,  eminent  as  a  scholar,  and,  in  some 
respects,  with  no  superior  in  all  the  ages  as  a  his- 
torian, would  shape  his  material  designedly  to  favor 
the  Bible ;  yet,  the  facts  he  gives,  form  a  true  coun- 
terpart, in  character  and  order — so  far  as  his  work 
extends — with  the  symbols  of  Revelation.  Other 
works  as  reliable,  afterward  take  up  the  thread  of 
historic  interpretation  and  afford  us  the  true  ex- 
planation of  the  symbols ;  so  that  the  confirmation 
rests  upon  grounds  which  all  are  bound  to  accept. 

One  of  the  strong  evidences  of  christanity  and  of 
the  inspiration  of  the  entire  Bible,  is  the  fulfillment 
of  scriptural  prophecies,  of  the  Old  Testament  and 
the  New.  Daniel's  prophecies  of  the  very  time 
when  Christ  should  appear  and  be  cut  off   for  the 


lO  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

-transgressions  of  the  people,  were  strictly  realized, 
and  many  other  inspired  predictions  of  the  proph- 
ets have  come  to  pass. 

The  prophecies  of  Christ  and  of  the  apostles 
have  been  and  are  being  fulfilled;  of  the  former,  not 
alone  as  to  the  destruction  of  the  temple  at  Jerusa- 
lem, but  as  given  symbolically  in  the  book  before  us. 
Mathematical  demonstration  is  here  permitted  in 
some  instances,  and  if  calculation  should  not  be 
exact  always,  it  might  be  owing  either  to  uncertainty 
of  ancient  dates  or  to  a  choice  between  several 
events  closely  related. 

In  these  days,  when — as  in  other  times — so  many 
assaults,  from  so  many  directions,  are  being  made 
upon  christanity,  and  especially  upon  the  key  to 
our  whole  position — the  Bible,  it  is  highly  impor- 
tant that  you  should  be  intelligently  grounded  in 
your  faith  in  the  word  of  God.  You  need  to  feel, 
as  you  rightly  may,  that  your  position  within  and 
behind  this  is  impregnable.  To  know  that  prophecy 
has  been  fulfilled,  that  the  book  of  Revelation  is 
being  verified  by  actual  history,  will  aid  in  strength- 
ening your  confidence  in  the  Book  of  God.  Daniel 
and  Ezekiel  had  visions  of  some  of    the  same  great 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST.  II 

Tealities  pointed  out  in  Revelation,  which  accords 
with  the  linking  together  of  all  truth  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments;  prophecy,  as  other  things,  blend- 
ing, since  they  came  from  the  same  source,  and 
make  up  the  one  grand  whole. 

The  direct  objects  of  the  book  are  evidently  to 
give  comfort  and  support  to  God's  people  in  all 
their  tribulations,  and  especially  at  those  times  when 
it  should  seem  as  if  things  were  working  against 
the  cause  of  Christ — pointing  with  instruction  from 
the  present  to  the  great  future;  so,  however  dark  it 
might  seem  now,  light  should  appear  ahead;  how- 
ever confused  present  affairs  might  be,  order  would 
at  last  come  forth ;  though  defeat  and  death  should 
overtake  God's  people,  his  kingdom  should  move 
on  and  in  the  end  triumph.  These  objects  did  the 
book  serve  at  first  with  the  early  church";  these 
objects  was  it  intended  to  meet  in  ages  to  come; 
and,  if  we  will  read  the  great  conflict  of  moral 
forces  now  going  on  in  the  political,  intellectual,  ec- 
clesiastical, and  moral  world,  in  the  light  of  the  reve- 
lation of  Jesus  Christ,  confidence  and  hope  shall  be 
experienced  by  us.  Well  may  it  be  said  in  view  of 
all,  and  at  the  very  outset  of  the  revelation,  "  Grace 


12  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

be  unto  you,  and  peace."  We  shall  see,  thus,  that 
it  is  not  simply  a  conflict  waged  between  man  and 
man,  the  issue  of  which  depends  upon  the  greater 
human  wisdom  or  might  of  the  parties ;  but,  that 
the  angels  are,  also,  interested  in  the  strife,  and  are 
having  part  in  this — the  good  against  the  bad;  and 
that  the  Lord  God  is  the  leader  of  his  hosts  against 
the  prince  of  darkness  and  of  evil :  so  the  result 
shall  not  be  uncertain;  it  has  already  been  pro- 
nounced. 

The  person  used  to  transcribe  the  prophetic  vis- 
ions displayed  by  the  great  Revealer,  the  divine 
Artist,  was  the  "beloved  disciple"  and  apostle, 
John.  He  was  now  an  old  man.  Sixty  years  of 
the  ninety  of  his  life  had  been  passed  in  the  service 
of  his  master.  For  preaching  the  gospel  he  was 
seized  by  the  Roman  power,  during  the  persecution 
of  the  disciples  in  the  reign  of  Domitian,  and  sent 
in  exile  to  the  desolate  isle  of  Patmos,  in  the  ^gean 
sea.  The  rocky  heights  of  this  were  to  be  made, 
by  the  revelations  given,  more  glorious  than  Sinar 
when  this  burned  as  with  fire  beneath  the  presence 
of  Jehovah. 

The  first  christian  century  was  drawing  to  its  close,. 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST.  I3 

and  with  it  the  labors  of  the  last  of  the  apostles, 
and  the  final  revelation  in  word  from  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  men.  Because  he  was  the  only  surviving 
apostle,  he  may  have  been  appointed  to  view  and  to 
write  of  the  wonderful  visions  from  heaven ;  but, 
there  was,  also,  a  fitness  of  character  and  a  ripeness 
of  christian  experience  which  eminently  fitted  him 
for  the  sight  and  the  task.  He  was  honored  of  Christ 
when  on  earth,  by  being  of  the  chosen  three  who 
were  permitted  to  behold  the  display  of  his  greatest 
power,  in  raising  from  death  to  life,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  dead  maiden;  to  witness  his  chief  glory  on 
the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  and  his  extreme  an- 
guish in  Gethsemane ;  and,  of  the  three,  he  was 
pre-eminent  fo»  mental  attainment  and  for  heart 
devotion.  Of  all  the  disciples,  most  intimate  with 
Christ  before  his  death,  he  was  made  to  look  in  upon 
the  glories  of  heaven  after  this,  and  to  see  the  things 
which  should  be  "hereafter."  "He  bare  record  of 
the  word  of  God,  and  of  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  of  all  things  that  he  saw."  With  the 
same  fidelity  which  marked  his  writing  of  the  life 
of  Christ,  and  his  unfolding,  in  his  epistles,  of  the 
heart  of  Christianity,  which  isf  love,  did  he  now  pen 


14  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

the  visions  granted  to  him.  He  had  always  had  to 
do  with  inner  spiritual  realities  and  glories;  he  was 
now  brought  most  fully  into  the  presence  of  these. 
Think  of  him  as  an  old  man,  with  the  peculiar 
glory  of  old  age  upon  him ;  moreover,  as  a  ripened 
christian ;  banished  to  Patmos  for  his  devotion  to 
Christ ;  not  morose,  but  filled  with  the  love  of  Jesus, 
and  not  separated  from  him  because  removed  in 
person  from  his  brethren,  for  Patmos  was  as  near  to 
Jesus  and  heaven  as  Ephesus.  It  was  the  sabbath, 
"the  Lord's  day,"  the  name  then  given  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  the  day  of  Christ's  resurrection ; 
and,  then  and  thenceforth,  the  christian  sabbath. 
Whatever  the  particular  day  may  have  been  in  its 
natural  features,  and  though  the  place  of  his  con- 
finement was  drear,  all  was  glorious  within  his  soul. 
He  was  "in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's  day."  This 
invested  his  mind  and  heart  like  a  robe  of  beauty ; 
it  filled  him,  like  the  fragrance  of  the  flowers;  it 
gave  pure  and  blessed  life  to  his  faith  and  hope  and 
love,  as  did  the  pure  air  from  the  sea  invigorate  his 
aged  body.  He  is  walking  forth,  not  to  look  upon, 
the  rocks  or  seas,  but  in  loving  worship  of  God. 
Was  he  thinking  of  the  time  when  jesus  called  him 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST.  15- 

at  the  sea  of  Galilee  ?  Was  he  recounting  all  that 
wondrous  life  of  his  Master?  Did  he  remember 
Calvary,  and  the  glories  of  that  first  christian  sab- 
bath, when  Jesus — "risen  indeed" — appeared  to 
the  disciples?  Did  he  recall  when  Jesus  was  taken 
up  from  the  presence  of  the  apostles  into  the 
opening  heaven  ?  Was  he  looking  back  in  heart 
over  the  record  of  Christ's  loving  goodness  to  him 
through  all  the  years  of  his  christian  life?  He  was, 
probably,  thinking,  too,  of  that  band  of  christian 
brethren  at  Ephesus,  and  of  the  churches  to  whom 
he  had  ministered  in  other  places.  He,  doubtless, 
was  mindful  of  the  promises  of  Jesus,  and  his  heart 
was  looking  up.  In  the  wisdom  of  Christ  he  was 
now  "  able  to  bear  "  more  than  could  have  been  well 
told  him  in  the  other  days  of  their  communing.  It 
had  required  years  of  prayer  and  labor  and  trial 
to  make  him  ready  for  the  coming  disclosures; 
and  when  his  enemies  sent  him  to  Patmos,  Christ's, 
hand  was  in  the  event,  overruling  their  evil  for  his 
own  great  and  gracious  purposes. 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  the  Reve-- 
lation  was  made,  the  divine  pictures  spread  forth ; 
not  necessarilv  all  on   one   day,  but   on   successive 


l6  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

-days,  as  he  was  able  to  view  the  symbols  and  to 
record  these.  But  the  opening  vision  was  on  the 
sabbath  spoken  of,  at  which  time  came  to  him. 

First :  The  Voice  of  the  Divine  Artist. 

The  bearing  of  this  and  of  what  immediately 
followed,  was,  doubtless,  to  inspire  not  only  the 
apostle's  confidence  in  the  subsequent  disclosures, 
but  to  present  to  us  and  to  all  to  whom  these  should 
come,  the  7'easons  why  we  should  credit  them.  In 
what  John  heard,  do  we  learn  these  :  A  voice  as  of 
a  trumpet — clear,  distinct,  silvery,  firm,  great,  sound- 
ed behind  him,  "saying,  I  am  alpha  and  omega,  the 
first  and  the  last ;  and  what  thou  seest  write  in  a 
book  and  send  it  unto  the  seven  churches  which  are 
in  Asia."  These  and  all  his  opening  words  unite 
in  declaring  the  qualifications  of  Christ  for  his  work 
as  revelator,  whether  in  word  or  symbol.  These 
are,  that  he  is, 

I.  The  "faithful  witness,"  in  which  character  he 
had  come  into  the  world,  even  "to  bear  witness  unto 
the  truth."  Such  he  continued  to  do  from  the 
opened  heavens  which  shone  about  Patmos  with  a 
sabbath  peace  and  blessing.  As  a  witness,  to  him 
had  been  made  known  the  things  of  which  he   was 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST.  IJ 

to  testify.  In  the  subordinate  position  which  he 
voluntarily  assumed  in  taking  upon  him  his  office 
and  work  as  mediator  and  savior,  he  is  represented 
as  receiving  even  his  knowledge  from  the  Father; 
so,  in  the  case  before  us,  we  read  that  this  is  "  the 
revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  which  God  gave  unto 
him,  to  show  unto  his  servants."  He  is  a  divine 
witness,  then — a  witness  of  divine  truth,  and  as 
such,  are  we  to  accept  the  entire  book  of  Revelation 
from  him. 

2.  But  he  is,  also,  "  the  first-begotten  of  the  dead." 
Thus  is  he  a  /wing  witness,  and  possessed  of  all  the 
meaning  and  prestige  of  that  wondrous  event,  his 
resurrection;  and  of  the  fact,  growing  out  of  this, 
that  all  the  dead  shall  eventually  rise. 

3.  He  is  "the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  "the  earth," 
and  as  such  is  qualified  to  declare  the  events  of 
human  history,  and  even  to  shape  these  according 
to  his  will,  and  to  carry  out  his  own  great  and  gra- 
cious purposes ;  for  the  kings  of  the  earth  should 
be  subject  to  him,  as  subjects  unto  a  sovereign. 

4.  Not  only  faithfulness  and  life  and  power  fitted 
him  for  the  work  of  revelation,  but  his  love  to  us 
and  gracious  work  wrought  for  us,  qualified  him  ;  so 


l8  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

that  we  may  gladly  say,  "  unto  him  that  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath 
made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father-, 
to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever." 

5.  His  second  coming  is  given  as  a  pledge  of  his 
ability  to  bring  about  the  very  things  he  has  declar- 
ed. " Behold,  he  Cometh  with  clouds;  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him ; 
and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of 
him."  Certainty,  finality,  of  word  and  deed,  is  con- 
nected with  this.    Hence  is  it  said,  "  Even  so,  Amen." 

6.  But  he  is  the  "Alpha  and  Omega,  the  begin- 
ning and  the  ending."  He  has  the  whole  cycle  of 
human  history  in  his  hands.  He  was  at  the  begin- 
ning of  all,  and  will  be  at  the  ending.  The  circle, 
commencirig  at  his  throne,  and  sweeping  around 
the  globe  in  all  time,  shall  come  back  again  to  his 
feet ;  and  is,  in  its  entireness,  at  all  times,  before  him. 

Every  qualification  is,  then,  declared  of  him ; — 
fidelity,  life,  power,  love,  justice,  and  eternal  con- 
nection with  all  things.  Thus,  in  word,  is  Christ 
presented,  giving  authority  to  John  to  write  and 
send  the  message  of  the  things  he  should  see  to  the 
churches. 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST,  I9 

The  voice  was  followed  by  a  Vision  of  the  Divifie 
Artist. 

We  are  not  to  understand  that  the  forms  of 
Christ's  appearances  were  literal.  That  he  really 
appeared,  is  true;  but  the  forms  representing  him 
were  according  to  his  character  or  his  relation  to 
special  events  or  things.  The  representation  here 
is  specifically  in  view  of  the  revelation  he  was  to 
make;  and  answered,  in  another  form,  the  same  pur- 
pose which  the  words  already  explained  served. 

From  the  twelfth  to  the  twentieth  verse  he  is 
represented, 

I.  As  being  in  the  midst  of  his  churches,  called 
the  "seven  golden  candlesticks,"  maintaining  by 
his  presence  the  light  of  these;  pouring  in  the  oil 
of  his  grace  and  spirit,  his  truth  and  love,  and  keep- 
ing these,  as  did  the  priests  the  lights  of  the  golden 
candlestick  in  the  temple,  perpetually  burning. 
Great  need  had  the  churches  of  this  assurance,  then 
as  now;  for  the  fierce  winds  of  worldly  influence 
and  persecution  should  threaten  to  extinguish  the 
light  of  the  churches  of  Christ.  But  the  light  of 
his  truth  should  never  go  out.  Some  torches  might 
wax  dim  and  be  even  cast  down,  but  others   should 


20  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

remain  steadfast.  If  the  seven  churches  of  Asia 
should  cease  to  burn  and  illuminate  the  world, 
before  passing,  other  lamps  should  be  lit  at  their 
fires;  and,  so,  the  light  should  continue.  He  then 
fed  the  lamps  afresh  and  was  in  the  midst  of  the 
seven  golden  candlesticks  to  do  this  especially,  with 
the  oil  of  revelation,  which  has  not  yet  been  ex- 
hausted, nor — anymore  than  the  rest  of  his  Bible — 
ever  shall  be.  The  sun  and  the  stars -have  not 
burned  with  a  truer  or  more  unwasting  brightness 
than  have  the  truth-fed  golden  candlesticks.  These 
have  been  hidden,  indeed,  as  the  other,  by  clouds 
or  in  eclipse ;  but  they  have  endured  as  ever,  and 
have  come  forth  from  between  the  clouds  or  from 
behind  the  eclipse,  hailed  with  greater  joy  because 
for  a  time  lost  sight  of. 

2.  He  has  the  "seven  stars"  of  the  churches,  or 
ministers  of  these,  in  his  right  hand.  He  uplifts 
them  before  the  world.  If  the  world  or  churches 
become  "  star  "  worshipers  or  idolaters,  he  will  suf- 
fer the  objects  thus  regarded  to  be  humbled,  or  will 
blight  them,  causing  them  to  pass  from  the  sight  of 
men  like  lost  stars  in  the  heavens.  But,  in  all  their  true 
service  of  him,  does  he  make  them  to  be  like  planets 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST.  21 

reflecting  the  light  of  the  sun,  guiding  them  by  his 
spirit,  binding  them  to  his  heart  by  the  power  of 
this  as  the  mighty  law  of  gravitation,  the  planets  to 
the  great  solar  center;  protecting  them,  upholding 
them,  causing  them  to  shine  with  the  luster  of  his 
truth,  to  the  praise  of  his  glory  and  the  good  of  his 
churches,  and  of  a  world  darkened  by  the  night  of 
sin  and  unbelief. 

3.  The  "garment"  flowing  down  to  his  foot  was 
not  priestly  but  kingly  in  its  make,  exhibiting  him 
as  royal  in  his  authority  as  revelator;  the  "  golden 
girdle  "  being  the  symbol  of  his  strength  and  prep- 
aration for  his  work  as  such ;  his  "  head  "  and  "  hairs 
white  like  wool,  as  white  as  snow,"  displaying  his 
wisdom,  being  venerable  in  this  as  "  the  ancient  of 
days."  His  "eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire,"  far-see- 
ing, penetrating,  carrying  with  them  the  power  to 
look  into  the  darkest  places  and  hearts,  and  to  dis- 
close all  hidden  things,  "  running  to  and  fro  into 
all  the  earth" — the  symbols  of  his  omniscience. 
"  His  feet  were  like  unto  fine  brass,"  showing  the 
firmness  and  uprightness  and  righteousness  of  his 
doings,  in  all  his  goings  forth ;  as  pure  his  feet  in 
their  course  as  "fine  brass  burned  in   a  furnace." 


22  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

His  voice  was  "as  the  sound  of  many  waters,"  being 
expressive  of  his  great  and  far  reaching  authority; 
"  out  of  his  mouth  "  proceeding  "  a  sharp  two-edged 
sword,"  of  his  truth,  which  is  "sharper  than  any 
two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing' 
asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  of  joints  and  marrow, 
and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of 
the  heart ;  "  while  "  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun 
shineth  in  his  strength,"  so  glorious  and  light  and 
life-giving  in  its  power. 

We  wonder  not,  as  Christ  was  thus  personified, 
that  even  John  should  "fall  at  his  feet  as  dead." 
If  he  was  at  first  bewildered,  if  he  did  not  so  far 
recognize  his  tender,  loving  Master,  surely  his  heart 
regained  its  strength,  when  the  kind  touch  of  the 
Savior's  right  hand,  which  he  had  felt  in  other  days, 
rested  upon  him ;  and  the  voice  which  had  stilled 
the  tumult  of  the  storm  on  Galilee  by  its  authority, 
and  had  calmed  the  fearing  hearts  of  the  disciples 
by  the  loving  assurance,  "It  is  I;  be  not  afraid," 
now  said,  "  Fear  not ;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last" — 
the  same  now  as  then,  "he  that  liveth,"  as  in  the 
days  of  incarnation;  "and  was  dead,  and,  behold, 


THE    DIVINE    ARTIST.  23 

I  am  alive  forevermore,  Amen ;  and  have  the  keys 
of  hell  and  of  death." 

In  all  this,  there  was  a  reproduction  in  part  of 
the  scene  on  the  mount  of  Transfiguration.  So,  in 
the  appearance  of  Christ,  in  its  effect  upon  John,  in 
the  touch  and  loving  words  of  the  Savior ;  and  the 
united  features  of  the  vision  disclose  him — here  as 
there — as  the  divine  Christy  the  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth,  of  his  churches  and  ministers.  His  "excel- 
lent glory  "  was  his  fitness  as  a  Revelator. 

As  thus  seen  let  us  not  lose  sight  of  him  in  all 
that  follows.  This  manifestation  was  intended  as  an 
introduction  to  all  else,  and  was  necessary  to  all 
else;  and  is  the  most  important  part  of  this  intro- 
ductory lecture. 

While  the  revelations  made  to  John,  and  for  the 
seven  churches  of  Asia  because  of  the  apostle's 
direct  connection  with  these,  which  would  ensure 
their  reception  and  careful  preservation,  the  un- 
foldings  were  for  all  the  churches  of  Christ  in  all 
time;  for  the  number  "seven"  denoted  complete- 
ness, entireness,  and  the  seven  churches  were  the 
representatives  of  the  whole  church  of  Christ, 
always.     So  are  they  for  us;  and  be  it  ours   to  give 


24  THE    DIVINE    ARTIST. 

heed  to  them  as  if  addressed  to  the  churches  of 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  and,  distinctively,  among  others,  to  the 
Vail  Avenue  Baptist  Church. 

These  great  things  have  to  do  with  us.  They  are 
taking  place,  some  of  them,  now ;  and  in  the  time 
to  come,  in  this  world  and  hereafter,  we  shall  be 
witnesses  of  their  reality.  We  have  a  personal  con- 
cern in  them.  Christ  comes,  as  John  saw  him,  to 
this  church.  May  he  walk  among  us,  and  kindle 
anew  to  a  living  flame  his  truth  here,  and  make  us 
personally  and  as  a  church  as  lights  in  this  com- 
munity; holding  us  in  his  right  hand  that  we  may 
reflect  his  glory. 

He  has  your  future  in  his  hand,  and  might  show 
it  to  you  in  word  or  symbol;  but  while  he  has  not 
judged  best  to  describe  particularly  the  coming 
events  of  our  individual  lives,  he  has  revealed  our 
destiny  as  being  governed  by  our  moral  condition, 
and  has  made  known  the  way  of  salvation  and  of  life 
to  us.  O !  be  guided  by  the  light  of  his  truth  to 
his  cross,  that  you,  being  saved,  may  be  sanctified 
in  the  truth;  and  come  with  joy  into  the  presence 
of  his  glory,  and  not  be  of  those  "who  shall  weep 
and  wail  because  of  him." 


II. 
Clje  fetters  to  tje  Cj)Utt|ts. 

Revelation^  Chapters  2,  j. 

^gJVEN  in  these  days,  when,  through  the  ready 
1^^  means  of  transportation  and  cheap  rates  of 
postage,'  letters  are  carried  to  almost  every  door — 
the  masses  availing  themselves  of  this  way  of  com- 
municating— there  is  the  keenest  interest  on  the 
part  of  every  person  in  the  reception  of  such.  The 
post-man  is,  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  one  of  the 
most  important  public  servants.  Indeed,  he  always 
was;  from  the  days  when  messages  were  sent  by 
couriers,  or  were  intrusted  to  private  carriers;  to  the 
time  of  that  most  wondrous  institution,  the  mail- 
coach,  the  arrival  of  which  was  the  event  of  the 
day  or  week;  until  the  era  of  the  mail-train,  when 
huge  bags,  filled  with  letters,  aggregating  tons  in 
weight,  are  hurried  across  a  continent  or  from  end 
to  end  of  the  land,  and  when  letters  find  their  way, 
transported  by  steam,  the  world  over. 


26         LETTERS  TO  THE  CHURCHES. 

The  interest  in  the  letter  received  is  graded  by 
the  position  or  character  of  the  writer,  or  his  rela- 
tion to  us,  or  our  interest  in  him.  If  we  should 
receive  a  favorable  letter  from  the  President  of  the 
United  States  or  the  Emperor  of  Germany  or  the 
Sovereign  of  England,  we  should  be  highly  elated, 
and  would  read  and  re-read  line  after  line  until  we 
knew  the  contents  by  heart.  If  the  letter  were  on 
business  that  concerned  our  welfare,  or  the  interests 
of  a  nation  or  of  the  world,  a  sense  of  responsibility 
would  be  created  in  us ;  if  the  letter  breathed  of 
love,  contained  wise  instruction,  faithful  warning, 
and  great  promises,  our  hearts  would  be  touched 
and  our  lives  affected.  If  the  permit  were  inserted 
to  enter  the  Presidential  mansion  as  a  special  friend, 
or  the  royal  palace  as  an  honored  guest ;  if  a  prom- 
ise of  honor,  of  wealth,  of  adoption,  of  high  posi- 
tion— if  possible,  of  life,  were  given — all,  in  words 
and  sentences  breathing  personal,  special  love,  as 
from  our  best  and  most  loving  and  loved  friend ; 
surely,  the  most  lasting  and  good  effect  would 
follow. 

Such  are  the  letters  of  Christ  to  the  churches. 
They  come  from  one  more  exalted   than   President, 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  27 

or  Emperor,  or  King;  from  one  whose  interest  in 
us  is  most  tender,  and  true,  and  loving;  who  sends 
messages  such  as  our  best  earthly  friend,  however 
wise  or  wealthy  or  loving,  though  seated  upon  the 
highest  places  of  earth,  could  not  truthfully  indite. 
Christ,  the  great  Revealer,  the  Divine  Artist,  pre- 
cedes his  pictorial  revelations  with  the  evidences  of 
his  direct  and  most  thorough  interest  in  those  to 
whom  these  are  made.  Though  employing  an 
amanuensis,  in  accordance  with  a  common  practice 
in  ancient  times — one  not  yet  passed  away — the  let- 
ters are  as  from  his  own  hand. 

A  letter  is  most  interesting  to  us  when  it  is  for  us, 
for  us  personally.  The  letters  of  Christ  were  ad- 
dressed to  each  of  the  churches  in  their  independ- 
ence ;  and,  that  we  might  be  assured  that  they  are, 
also,  for  us  individually,  and  as  a  church,  and  for 
every  one  and  every  church,  each  letter  closes  with 
the  earnest  line  :  "  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."  This 
means  all,  this  means  each ;  for  it  reads  not,  "  They 
that  have  ears,  let  them  hear;  "  but,  ''^He  that  hath 
an  ear,  let  him  hear." 

Let  us  now  open  Christ's  letters  to  us  and  earn- 


28  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

estly  read  them,  seeking  to  learn  and  apply  their 
contents.  The  letters  will  be  found  to  conform  to 
a  general  arrangement,  although  the  substance  of 
each  was  suited  to  the  particular  church  addressed. 
You  may  run  iron  into  a  mould,  and  taking  out  the 
casting  you  may  run  brass  into  the  same  mould;  or, 
gold ;  or,  silver.  So,  there  is  one  model  after  which 
the  letters  are  formed,  which  will  enable  us  to  do  in 
one  lecture  what  we  might  well  take  seven  for,  to 
treat  of  these  together;  and  the  variety  in  the  sub- 
stance will  enable  us  to  select  that  which  is  best 
suited  to  us. 

I.  We  will  first  glance  at  the  places  where  were 
the  churches  originally  addressed  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

They  were  all  in  Asia.  This  name  is  now  given 
to  the  largest  and  most  densely  peopled  continent 
on  the  globe.  In  former  time  it  had  a  much  more 
restricted  application,  and  comprised  only  the 
western  part  of  what  is  now  known  as  Asia  Minor. 
It  was  a  province  of  the  Roman  Empire,  bequeath- 
ed to  Rome  by  a  prince  who  held  dominion  over  it. 

Ephesus  was  the  capital.  This  was  an  important 
city,  commercially  and   politically.      Here  was  the 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  29 

celebrated  temple  of  Diana;  and,  here,  where  the 
silver  shrines  were  made,  because  of  loss  in  the  sale 
of  which  by  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  Paul's  com- 
panions were  seized,  at  the  instigation  of  Demetrius, 
and  a  great  uproar  was  had.  Paul  labored  here 
three  years,  publicly  and  privately — from  house  to 
house,  not  shunning  to  "  declare  the  whole  counsel 
of  God,"  nor  ceasing  "to  warn  every  one  night  and 
day  with  tears."  Timothy  was  afterward  pastor  of 
the  church  here,  at  the  time  when  Paul's  letters 
were  addressed  to  him ;  the  church  finally  coming 
under  the  oversight  of  the  beloved  John. 

Smyrna  was  situated  some  forty  miles  north  of 
Ephesus,  and  was,  also,  an  important  city  commer- 
cially. It  was  once  destroyed  by  the  Lydians,  and 
remained  desolate  some  four  hundred  years,  after 
which  it  was  re-built  by  Alexander  the  Great.  It 
was,  likewise,  destroyed  by  an  earthquake  in  the 
year  167,  A.  D.,  and  again  restored,  and  remains 
until  the  present,  being  now  a  city  of  some  130,000 
inhabitants;  and  instead  of  being  on  the  decline,  is 
improving.  The  celebrated  Polycarp  was  here 
martyred,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  angel, 
or  pastor,  of  the  church  at  Smyrna  when  the   letter 


30  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

was  sent  by  the  Savior  to  this.  When  he  was  ar- 
raigned before,  the  Roman  pro-consul  at  Smyrna, 
and  his  death  was  demanded,  the  Jews  being  most 
active  in  seeking  this,  he  was  called  upon  to  curse 
Christ;  upon  which  he  replied:  "Six  and  eighty 
years  have  I  served  him,  and  he  has  done  me  noth- 
ing but  good ;  how  then  shall  I  curse  him  ?  my 
Lord  and  Savior  ?  If  you  would  know  what  I  am, 
I  tell  you  frankly,  I  am  a  christian." 

Pergamus  was  once  noted  for  its  temples,  its  lit- 
erature, and  arts.  A  temple  of  Diana  was  here 
located  upon  an  eminence.  A  library  sustained 
here  was  removed  by  Antony  to  Alexandria  in  Egypt, 
and  became  part  of  that  famous  library  which  was 
subsequently,  with  such  loss  to  the  world,  destroyed 
by  the  Turks,  on  the  plea,  that  if  there  was  anything 
in  the  books  contrary  to  the  Koran,  they  ought  to 
be  destroyed;  and,  if  they  agreed  with  this,  they 
were  not  needed. 

Thyatu-a  was  located  on  a  plain  environed  with 
mountains,  and  was  noted  for  the  business  of  dye- 
ing. It  was  the  home  of  Lydia,  mentioned  in  the 
book  of  Acts,  "whose  heart  the  Lord  opened." 

Sardis  was  the  residence  of   Croesus,  celebrated 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  3 1 

for  his  wealth,  "as  rich  as  Croesus"  being  an  adage 
not  yet  fully  passed  away.  The  place  was  once 
taken  in  war  by  Cyrus,  and  near  it  Xerxes  encamped 
on  his  way  to  Marathon.  The  people  were  in  ill- 
repute  among  the  ancients  because  of  their  volup- 
tuousness. It  was  destroyed  by  an  earthquake  in 
the  time  of  Tiberius  and  was  rebuilt  by  this  Em- 
peror. It  is  desolate  now.  Two  columns  and  a 
few  remains  of  ancient  buildings,  one  of  which  is 
thought  to  have  been  built  some  three  hundred 
years  after  the  building  of  Solomon's  temple,  alone 
continue  to  the  present ;  a  solitude  oppressive  and 
saddening  to  the  mind  being  said  to  brood  over  the 
site. 

Philadelphia  was  some  twenty-five  miles  from 
Sardis,  and  was  the  second  city  of  Lydia.  It  was, 
also,  subject  to  earthquakes.  It  is  now  a  Turkish 
town,  and  was  the  last  of  the  cities  of  Asia  Minor 
to  yield  to  the  Turkish  power,  in  the  year  1400,  A. 
D.  It  was  called  "city  of  God,"  and  was  situated 
on  four  hills,  from  which  a  grand  view  of  natural 
scenery  was  had.  There  are  some  3,000  houses  in 
it  now,  all  but  250  being  occupied  by  Turks. 

Laodicea  was  a  place  of  considerable  wealth ;  but 


32  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

was  like  other  places  in  this  region,  repeatedly  visited 
by  earthquakes,  which  almost  completely  destroyed 
the  city  and  caused  this  to  be  abandoned. 

Gibbon  writes  of  the  end  of  all  these  places,  as 
seats  of  christian  churches,  as  they  appeared  in  the 
15th  century  : 

"  Two  Turkish  chieftains,  Sarukhan  and  Aidin,  left 
their  names  to  their  conquests,  and  their  conquests 
to  their  posterity.  The  captivity  or  ruin  of  the 
seven  churches  of  Asia  was  consummated ;  and  the 
barbarous  lords  of  Ionia  and  Lydia  still  trample  on 
the  monuments  of  classic  and  christian  antiquity. 
In  the  loss  of  Ephesus,  the  christians  deplored  the 
fall  of  the  first  angel,  the  extinction  of  the  first 
candlestick,  of  the  Revelation;  the  desolation  is 
complete ;  and  the  temple  of  Diana,  or  the  church 
of  Mary,  will  equally  elude  the  search  of  the  curious 
traveler.  The  circus  and  three  stately  theatres  of 
Laodicea  are  now  peopled  with  wolves  and  foxes ; 
Sardis  is  reduced  to  a  miserable  village ;  the  God 
of  Mahomet,  without  a  rival  or  a  son,  is  invoked  in 
the  mosques  of  Thyatira  and  Pergamus;  and  the  , 
populousness  of  Smyrna  is  supported  by  the  foreign 
trade  of  the  Franks  and  Armenians.      Philadelphia 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  33 

alone  has  been  saved  by  prophecy  or  courage.  At 
a  distance  from  the  sea,  forgotten  by  the  emperors, 
encompassed  on  all  sides  by  the  Turks,  her  valiant 
citizens  defended  their  religion  and  freedom  above 
four-score  years ;  and  at  length  capitulated  with  the 
proudest  of  the  Ottomans.  Among  the  Greek  colo- 
nies and  churches  of  Asia,  Philadelphia  is  still  erect, 
a  column  in  a  scene  of  ruins ;  a  pleasing  example 
that  the  paths  of  honor  and  safety  may  sometimes 
be  the  same." 

II.  In  the  letters  to  the  churches  in  these  places 
we  find  a  seven-fold  representation  of  Christ.  In 
each  case  he  declared  some  characteristic  of  him- 
self, bearing  upon  the  peculiar  circumstances  and 
condition  of  each,  the  very  presentation  of  himself 
in  such  lights  being  calculated  to  arouse  special  at- 
tention to  himself  and  his  message,  and  to  awaken 
their  consciences.  These  representations  pointed  in 
part  to  his  appearances  as  John  had  seen  him. 

To  the  church  at  Ephesus  he  wrote  as  the  one 
who  holdeth  "the  seven  stars  in  his  right  hand," 
and  "walketh  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden 
candlesticks."  They  needed  to  remember  this,  as 
we  shall  see — to  consider  that  he  had  power  over 
3 


34  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

minister  and  church,  and  could  work  his  own  will 
against  or  for  them.  To  the  church  at  Smyrna  he 
spoke  as  "the  first  and  the  last,  which  was  dead  and 
is  alive."  They  required  for  their  help,  the  great 
and  comforting  assurance  that  he  was  the  living 
Jesus.  The  church  of  Pergamus  was  pointed  to 
"  the  sharp  sword  with  two  edges  "  proceeding  out 
of  his  mouth.  The  church  at  Thyatira  was  ad- 
dressed by  him  as  the  "  Son  of  God,  who  hath  his 
eyes  like  unto  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like 
fine  brass."  Here  he  proclaims  his  divinity,  and 
his  searching  view  of  all  things,  and  the  pureness 
and  uprightness  of  his  going  forth  in  blessing  or  in 
judgment.  Unto  the  church  at  Sardis  he  appealed 
as  having  "  the  seven  spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven 
stars,"  the  seven  spirits  standing  for  the  perfect 
Holy  Spirit  who  can  at  the  same  time  move  and 
work  in  different  directions,  in  each  and  all  of  the 
churches  at  once.  To  the  church  at  Philadelphia 
he  represents  himself  as  the  "holy"  and  "true,"  as 
"he  that  hath  the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth, 
and  no  man  shutteth ;  and  shutteth,  and  no  man 
openeth,"  the  latter  being  the  expression  of  his  au- 
thority and  power,  in  providence  and   by  his   word 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  35 

and  spirit.  To  the  church  at  Laodicea  he  was  "  the 
Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  witness,  the  beginning 
of  the  creation  of  God."  What  he  said  was  a 
finahty,  and  he  is  faithful  and  true  as  a  witness,  and 
is  the  head  of  the  church,  as  he  was  the  head  of  the 
creation  of  God;  "for  by  him  were  all  things  made 
that  are  made."  We  shall  find  that  all  these  fea- 
tures were  appropriately  mentioned,  and  that  in  the 
characteristics  specified,  he  did  work  among  the 
churches. 

Which  of  these  developments  of  his  nature  and 
offices  is  best  suited  to  us,  as  a  church  and  as  indi- 
viduals.'' Or  shall  we  say,  let  Him  appeal  to  us  in 
all  his  characteristics  ? — Let  Christ  be  to  us  ''  all  in 
all,'^"  The  Lord  open  the  eyes  of  our  understand- 
ing that  we  may  see  in  what  respects  we  need  Christ, 
and  make  us  willing  to  hear  his  voice  however  sharp 
this  may  be,  cutting  right  and  left — though  used  in 
love;  and  to  endure  the  searching  glance  of  his 
eye;  and  to  have  his  footprints  upon  our  hearts, 
though  his  "feet"  be  as  a  "refiner's  fire,  as  the 
purifier  of  silver."  We  say,  come,  thou  who  hold- 
est  the  seven  stars,  and  hold  thy  stars  here  in  thy 
right  hand  ;  come,  thou  who  walkest  amid  the  se\  en 


^6^  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

golden  candlesticks,  and  let  us  "see  thee  in  the 
sanctuary,"  and  in  our  homes  and  on  our  streets, 
walking  in  the  midst  of  this  thy  church  and  of  all 
thy  churches.  Wield  thy  sword,  thou  living  Jesus, 
and  send  forth  thy  spirit;  and  open  the  door  of 
mercy  so  that  no  man  can  shut  this,  thou  holy  and 
true  one ;  and  be  thou  the  head  of  this  thy  church, 
O  thou  Amen — Christ,  faithful  and  true,  the  "be- 
ginning of  the  creation  of  God." 

One  thing  is  most  certainly  adapted  to  us — that 
seven-fold  declaration  of  Christ,  made  to  each  and 
all  the  churches  in  precisely  the  same  words :  "/ 
A'/ww  thy  works y  Yes,  Christ  knows  the  works  of 
this  church;  knows  them  positively,  knows  them 
fully,  knows  their  nature,  knows  their  extent ;  knows 
how  many  are  working  for  him,  and  how  much,  and 
the  motives  in  which  we  are  working — whether  it  is 
that  man  should  know  them,  or  content  that  God 
knows  them.  Does  he  know  them  to  approve  them 
and  us  ;  or,  the  contrary .'' 

III.  That  he  knew  their  works  is  attested  by  the 
seven-fold  description  he  gave  of  their  condition. 
He  might  make  an  e(|ual]y  explicit  statement  of 
ours. 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  37 

The  church  at  Ephesus  had  suffered  trouble,  and 
was  patient;    it  could   not   "bear   them   which   are 
evil;"  it  put  to   the   test,   doubtless   in  connection 
with  the  word  of  God,  those  who  falsely  claimed  to 
be  apostles   or  teachers,   and  found   them   "liars." 
The  church  had  borne,  and  had  been  patient — the 
language  is  repeated,  and  for   Christ's  name's   sake 
had  labored,  and  had  not  fainted.     They  had  among 
them  the  Nicolaitanes — errorists,  whose   false   doc- 
trines were  manifest   in   evil   deeds,  and   these   the 
Ephesians  hated.     They  bore  with   their   doctrines 
but  hated  their  deeds.     The  church  at  Smyrna  was 
suffering  tribulation  and  poverty;    but,   said  Jesus, 
"thou  art  rich,"  "rich  in  faith."     Those  who  claim- 
ed to  be  Jews  and  were  not  the  Israel  of   God,  but 
were  really  of  "the  synagogue  of  satan,"  were  their 
enemies;  yea,   satan   himself    should  work   against 
them.     Ten  years — or  ten   prophetic  "  days,"  were 
they  to  suffer ;  which  took  place  during  the  Diocle- 
tian persecution  which  lasted  that  time.     Their  con- 
dition was  pre-eminently  one  of  suffering  and   des- 
titution ;  yet,  that  these  things   are   not   so  bad   as 
some  others,  not  so  bad  as  error,  or  indifference,  or 
sin,  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  the  church  at  Smyrna  is 


^S  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

the  only  one  of  the  original  seven  which   has   con- 
tinued in  any  form  unto  the  present  time. 

The  church  of  Pergamus  was  located  where  was 
the  stronghold  of  Satan,  and  they  had  among  them 
those  who  held  "to  the  doctrine  of  Balaam,  who 
taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  before  the 
children  of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto 
idols,  and  to  commit  fornication  " — persons,  who 
while  pretending  to  be  good,  enticed  others  to  evil. 
Those  who  held  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicolaitanes — 
a  doctrine  not  known  now,  were,  also,  here.  Thya- 
tira  was  known  for  its  "  charity,  and  service,  and 
faith,  and  patience,  and  works,  and  the  last  to  be 
more  than  the  first; "  they  having  grown  in  these. 
Yet  they  suffered  a  false  prophetess,  named  after 
the  Jezebel  of  ancient  time — noted  for  her  fanati- 
cism and  profligacy,  to  teach  doctrines  alluring  and 
vile  in  their  tendency.  Some  among  them  held  to 
the  doctrine;  others  did  not,  these  not  knowing 
"the  depths  of  satan."  The  church  at  Sardis  had 
a  name  to  live  but  was  dead.  In  one  sentence,  the 
cold,  formal,  professional  church,  is  set  forth ;  pos- 
sessed at  best  of  only  a  few  sparks  of  the  christian 
life.      The    church    at    Philadelphia   had   a   "little 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  39 

Strength,"  had  kept  Christ's  word,  and  not  denied 
his  name,  notwithstanding  the  Jews,  of  the  syna- 
gogue of  satan,  here  as  elsewhere,  had  arrayed  them- 
selves against  the  church  of  Christ. 

The  Laodicean  christians  were  "lukewarm," 
"neither  cold  nor  hot ;  "  yet  were  saying:  "lam 
rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of 
nothing,"  not  knowing  that  they  were  "wretched, 
and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked." 
They  were  not  simply  in  this  unworthy  condition, 
but  were,  also,  self-deceived,  flattering  themselves 
that  they  were  otherwise. 

If  our  church  were  to  be  named  after  either  of 
these  churches,  what  should  it  be  called .''  Perhaps, 
we  shall  be  able  better  to  answer,  as  we  get  further 
along,  passing  to  notice, 

IV.  The  mingled  praise  and  blame  ^  the  commenda- 
tion and  reproofs  pronounced  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  upon  the  churches. 

I.  There  was  commendation  given  in  every  in- 
stance but  one,  the  church  at  Laodicea,  whose  pride 
connected  with  indifference,  prevented  the  first 
word  of  approval.  Christ  was  always  ready  to  com- 
mend when  this  was  due.     Not  that  he  ever  flattered. 


40  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

Flattery,  and  sincere  praise  wisely  expressed,  are 
two  different  things.  There  is  an  old  saying,  "  He 
that  flatters  you  is  either  a  knave  or  he  thinks  you 
a  fool."  To  speak  an  honest  word  in  favor  of 
another  might  oftener  be  done  than  it  is.  We  leave 
such  things  too  frequently  until  our  friends  die, 
when  our  words  can  do  them  no  good.  One  well- 
timed  sentence  of  appreciation  spoken  in  the  living 
ear,  is  better  than  a  tomb-stone  covered  with  eulo- 
gistic inscriptions ;  the  one  is  golden,  the  other,  like 
marble.  Christ  is  more  ready  and  better  pleased 
to  laud  than  to  censure,  as  he  is  readier  to  bless 
than  to  inflict  judgment. 

For  their  labor  and  patience,  and  zeal  for  right- 
eousness and  truth ;  for  the  trueness  of  their  motive 
and  their  persevering  courage,  did  he  commend  his 
people  at  Epjiesus.  Only  words  of  approbation 
and  encouragement  did  he  have  for  his  disciples  at 
Smyrna,  who  were  so  true  amid  all  their  tribulation 
and  earthly  poverty.  The  church  at  Pergamus  was 
praised  for  its  steadfast  devotion  to  the  name  and 
faith  of  Jesus,  though  they  were  environed  by  satan 
himself,  and  one  of  their  number,  the  faithful  Anti- 
pas,   had  been  martyred   for   Christ's   sake.      The 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  4I 

growing  charity,  and  service,  and  faith,  and  patience^ 
and  works,  of  the  church  at  Thyatira  were  all  ex- 
tolled; and  even  Sardis,  though  indirectly,  was 
gently  commended  because  there  was  some  good 
remaining  among  them;  and  the  disciples  at  Phila- 
delphia had,  though  weak,  kept  Christ's  word  and 
confessed  his  name,  and  for  this  were  credited  in 
his  account  with  them.  How  good  if  only  words 
of  approval  could  have  been  spoken  of  all ! 

2.  But,  otherwise  was  the  case.  There  was  defi- 
ciency on  the  part  of  almost  all,  and  the  word  of 
faithful  love  must  needs  be  spoken.  "Faithful  are 
the  wounds  of  a  friend,"  and  faithfully  did  Christ 
deal  with  his  people;  yet  with  a  wisdom  divine. 
The  words  pointing  out  their  defects  were  not  those 
of  one  who  delighted  in  reproving.  We  may  take 
a  secret  delight  in  telling  others  of  their  faults ;  not 
so,  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  but,  as  our  imperfections 
cause  him  pain,  so  does  reproving  these  distress  him. 

You  will  ask,  after  the  many  words  spoken  in 
favor  of  the  church  at  Ephesus,  what  is  lacking  in 
this.^  Hear  the  words  of  Jesus:  "Nevertheless,  I 
have  somewhat  against  thee,  because  thou  hast  left 
thy  first  love."     They  were  outwardly  right  and  de- 


'42  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

voted  ;  but  the  heart  had  lost  the  warmth  and  fervor, 
the  strength,  and  steadfastness  of  its  frrst  love  to 
Christ;  when  the  spirit  of  sacrifice  and  obedience 
had  marked  them  in  the  sight  of  God  and  of  men. 
Shall  we  name  our  church  after  the  church  at  Ephe- 
sus.'*  The  church  at  Pergamus  endured  error  of 
doctrine  leading  to  error  of  life,  and  for  this  it  was 
rebuked.  The  people  of  Thyatira  were  reproved 
for  like  evil.  The  church  at  Sardis  was  condemned 
for  its  formality,  being  dead  while  professing  to  be 
alive.  The  reproof  of  the  church  at  Philadelphia 
was  indirect,  and  was  pronounced,  by  implication, 
upon  its  deficiency  in  strength;  while  the  church 
at  Laodicea,  the  only  one  of  which  no  good  was 
spoken,  was  severely  condemned  for  its  lukewarm- 
ness,  because  it  was  neither  cold  nor  hot.  Shall  we 
surname  us  after  Sardis  or  Laodicea.^  Let  us  be 
faithful  with  ourselves  in  the  matter,  and  hear  what 
follows : 

V.  The  imited  t/ircatem?igs  and  promises  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

The  Ephesians  were  threatened  with  the  removal 
of  their  candlestick  out  of  its  i)lace,  with  the  extin- 
guishment of  the  light   of    the   church,   which   was 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  43 

equivalent  to  the  destruction  of  this.  He  who  rep- 
resented himself  to  this  people  as  walking  amid  the 
golden  candlesticks  thus  applies  this  manifestation 
of  himself,  and  threatens  them  according  to  their 
condition;  for  if  their  first  love  which  they  had 
lost  should  not  return,  if  the  love  of  Christ  thus 
dying  down — and  love  forever  grows  or  decreases — 
should  cease,  their  spiritual  life  would  end;  and,  in 
tmie,  the  body  itself,  without  a  soul,  should  perish. 
But  if  they  would  "  do  their  first  works^"  expressive 
of  their  first  love,  the  promise  was  that  he  would 
give  them  "  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God;"  so,  nourishing 
their  spiritual  life  with  heavenly  food.  It  is  a  sad 
truth,  that  there  is  no  evidence  of  lasting  repentance 
on  their  part ;  that  neither  threatening  nor  promise 
availed,  and  the  church  perished.  Splendid  churches 
were  afterward  built,  outwardly  there  was  seeming 
prosperity;  but  the  Mohammedans  triumphed  over 
them,  and  the  word  of  Jesus  was  so  faithfully  car- 
ried out  that  the  skeptical  historian  Gibbon  remarked 
it.  This  specific  judgment  was  more  fully  executed 
upon  this  church  than  upon  any  other  of  the  orig- 
inal seven,  not  one  trace  of   it   remaining,   and  for 


44  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

centuries  not  one  christian  was  found  in  the  place. 
Dreadful  warning  this  to  us  now,  for  churches  at 
this  day  and  in  this  land  have  died  out,  for  the  one 
reason  above  all  others,  that  they  lost  their  love  to 
Christ,  that  love  without  which  grand  church  edifi- 
ces are  only  magnificent  mausoleums,  entombing 
the  dead  body  of  the  church. 

No  threat  was  made  to  the  church  at  Smyrna. 
This  needed  none.  The  people  were  devoted  to 
Christ  at  evfery  sacrifice  and  in  all  their  suffering, 
and  only  encouragement  and  ]jromises  were  given 
to  them.  "Fear  not;"  "Be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  "He 
that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second 
death;"  thus  appropriately  did  the  living  Jesus 
speak  to  those  who,  for  their  trueness  to  him,  were 
being  exposed  to,  and  were,  in  some  instances,  suf- 
fering literal  death.  He  who  declared  to  the  church 
at  Pergamus  that  he  had  the  "  sharp  sword  with  two 
edges;"  threatened  to  "fight  against  them  with  the 
sword  of  his  mouth,"  if  they  repented  not.  A  most 
fearful  thing  this,  for  to  have  Christ  fight  against  us 
were  worse  than  to  confront  the  world  or  satan, 
since  he  is  mightier  than  they;  and  for  him  to  turn 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  45 

his  truth  against  us  were  most  dreadful,  as  it  is  most 
blessed  to  have  this  on  our  side.  But  if  they  over- 
came the  temptation  to  "  eat  of  food  sacrificed  to 
idols  and  to  commit  fornication,"  he  would  give 
them  better  food,  "  even  to  eat  of  the  hidden  man- 
na," of  the  bread  of  heaven  ;  and  would  bestow  the 
sign  of  favor  and  the  pledge  of  good,  in  the  "white 
stone  "  with  the  "  new  name  "  written  therein.  Dis- 
honor, suffering  and  death,  were  pronounced  against 
those  of  Thyatira  who  yielded  to  Jezebel — to  idola- 
try, by  him  who  "with  eyes  like  unto  a  flame  of 
fire  "  "  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts,"  and  who 
with  "  feet  like  unto  fine  brass  "  comes  in  righteous- 
ness to  "give  unto  every  one  according  to  his 
works ;  "  but  Christ  would  raise  those  who  over- 
came such  things  and  "  kept  his  works  unto  the  end," 
to  great  power  and  honor,  and  give  them  "  the  morn- 
ing star  "  of  his  own  light  and  glory  and  exaltation; 
for  he  afterward  declared,  "  I  am  the  bright  and 
morning  star." 

The  church  at  Sardis  having  a  name  to  live,  though 
really  dead;  having  only  a  "  few  names  which  had 
not  defiled  their  garments  " — their  low  condition 
being  reached  through  positive  sin — was  told  by  him 


46  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

who  held  the  seven  spirits  of  God  and  the  seven 
stars,  that  if  they  repented  not  "  he  would  come  on 
them  as  a  thief  in  the  night,"  and  would  despoil 
them.  But  the  overcoming  ones  should  be  "  clothed 
in  white  raiment,"  and  he  would  not  blot  out  their 
names  from  the  book  of  life,  but  would  confess  them 
before  his  Father  and  his  angels.  The  threat  was 
of  outward  judgment,  which  probably  came  to  them, 
and  as  suddenly  as  the  earthquake  which  executed 
his  will  upon  them.  There  is  no  direct  threatening 
against  the  church  at  Philadelphia,  but  there  is  the 
promise  from  him  who  was  holy  and  true,  who  had 
the  key  of  David,  and  so  full  authority  in  his  king- 
dom, that  he  would  make  the  overcoming  ones 
"pillars  in  his  temple,"  and  grant  to  such  to  be 
special  bearers  of  the  name  of  God.  But  the 
Amen — the  decisive  one,  the  faithful  and  true  wit- 
ness, the  head  of  all  things,  threatened  the  church 
at  Laodicea  with  shame  and  ill  if  they  turned  not 
from  their  lukewarmness.  The  church  here  having 
suffered  through  an  earthquake,  the  people  had 
been  indifferent  to  re-building  a  sanctuary,  and  to 
the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  Ghrist;  and  he  stood 
at  their  door  and  knocked,  and   if   they  opened  he 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  47 

would  enter  to  bless,  and  if  they  overcame  their 
half-heartedness  and  became  det:idedly  his,  he  would 
grant  them  to  "  sit  with  him  in  his  throne,  even  as 
he  also  overcame  and  was  set  down  with  his  Father 
in  his  throne." 

Thus  did  Christ  appeal  both  to  their  fears  and 
hopes,  working  first  upon  the  one,  then  upon  the 
other;  but  in  all,  even  in  his  rebukes,  assuring  them 
of  his  love.  His  word  again  and  again  was :  "As 
many  as  I  love  I  rebuke  and  chasten."  Were  they 
tempted  to  rebel  against  the  threatenings  .^  Love 
should  still  their  rebelliousness,  or  make  them  doubly 
guilty  for  not  heeding  the  faithful  words. 

How  is  it  with  us  !  Has  not  Christ  "  somewhat  " 
against  us;  a  few  things.'*  The  word  "somewhat  " 
is  not  in  the  original,  the  true  translation  being,  "  I 
have  against  thee;"  as  if  he  spoke  decisively;  not 
falteringly,  but  faithfully  and  "with  authority,  and 
not  as  the  scribes,"  telling  us  our  faults  plainly.  Is 
there  no  lack  of  love  among  us.?  Is  there  no  sin 
in  our  hearts }  No  error  in  our  minds  ?  No  evil 
in  our  lives  ?  Are  we  lukewarm }  Then  saith  the 
Lord  Jesus,  "  Let  him  that  hath  an  ear  to  hear,  hear 
what  the  spirit  saith  unto  the  chu/ches."     The  spirit 


48  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

appointed  to  "  take  of  the  things  of  Christ  and 
show  them  unto  us,"  speaks  for  Christ  unto  his 
churches  now;  and  the  same  threatenings  hang  over 
us  as  were  made  to  the  churches  of  Asia.  The 
churches  to  which  the  letters  were  directed,  and  in 
part,  the  places  where  they  were,  have  passed  away; 
but  the  epistles  remain,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  con- 
tinues and  brings  them  with  original  force  to  all 
churches  in  like  conditions.  It  is  for  us,  then,  to 
repent,  to  turn  from  all  our  sins  and  failings  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  with  sorrowing  hearts  and  renewed  con- 
secration and  love.  Especially  so  since  such  glori- 
ous promises  are  added,  given  in  every  instance  to 
those  who  "overcome  "  the  evil ;  being  always  per- 
sonal— to  '7//;;z  that  overcometh." 

I  have  not  failed  to  see  tliat  every  letter  was  ad- 
dressed first  of  all  to  the  "  angel  "  of  the  church,  to 
the  pastor ;  that  he  should  faithfully  communicate 
the  will  and  word  of  Christ  to  the  people ;  more- 
over, applying  to  himself  first  of  all  that  word. 
What  a  responsibility  !  I  would  meet 'it  to-night. 
While  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  I  commend 
you  for  all  the  good  you  have  done,  I  declare  m 
faithfulness  that    the    Lord   Jesus   has    "  somewhat 


LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES.  49 

against  us."  The  two  things  most  fearful  of  all,  I 
think,  are  held  against  us — we  have  "  lost  our  first 
love,"  and  are  "neither  cold  nor  hot."  I  point  you 
to  the  dreadful  fact  that  in  both  such  instances  the 
destruction  of  the  churches  was  threatened — God 
would  put  out  the  light,  or  would  spew  them  out  of 
his  mouth.  Let  us  be  warned;  especially,  let  us 
turn  from  all  wrong,  in  view  of  the  exceeding  great 
and  precious  promises  of  Christ. 

"  He  that  hath  an  ear  to  hear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."  That  means 
you,  too,  who  are  unconverted.  Does  Christ  know 
the  condition  of  his  people.?  So  does  he  know 
yours — how  great  are  your  sins  and  unbelief.  Has 
he  "  somewhat  against  "  his  own }  How  much  more 
against  you  }  Shall  he  threaten  his  professed  disci- 
ples; and  does  he  spare  you.?  Not  so;  but  his 
justice  and  wrath  are  pronounced  against  you,  more 
fearfully  than  against  his  church.  But,  oh!  I  am 
permitted  to  hold  forth  his  promise  of  pardon  and 
of  eternal  life,  which  shall  be  yours  if  you  will  re- 
pent and  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Read 
the  threatenings,  hear  the  promises,  obey  the  word 

4 


50  "  LETTERS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

of  the  gospel  of  Christ!  "Blessed  are  they  that 
read^  and  hear^  and  keep  the  words  of  the  prophecy 
of  this  book." 


III. 

Revelatio7i^  Chaptei's  4-8 :  i. 

^^NLY  as  we  remember  that  much  of  the  lan- 
5^J  guage  of  the  book  of  Revelation  is  emblematic, 
that  the  visions  were  symbols,  shall  we  form  any 
just  or  satisfactory  conception  of  the  things  pre- 
sented ;  yet  the  pictures  are  faithful  representations 
of  realities.  They  do  not  always  stand  for  persons, 
but  sometimes  for  qualities  of  being,  and  for  events 
as  well  as  things.  Of  course,  no  one  will  claim, 
except  it  may  be  the  Pope ;  no  one  can  rightly  claim, 
not  excepting  the  Pope,  infallibility  in  the  interpre- 
tation of  the  book  of  Revelation,  any  more  than  of 
the  other  parts  of  Scripture.  In  all  explanations 
of  this  we  recognize  the  right  of  private  judgment; 
and  reverently  should  we  submit  all  our  views  to 
the  great  Teacher  and  Revealer  of  truth,  who  has 


52  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

written  unto  his  churches,  praying  him  to  lead  us  by 
his  spirit  "into  all  truth." 

I  cannot  enter  minutely  and  at  length  into  every 
passage  and  symbol  of  the  book.  That  would  be 
to  present  to  you  a  commentary  upon  this,  instead 
of  giving  you  lectures  with  a  more  general  scope, 
which  is  my  plan. 

Let  us  not  forget  the  two  great  persons  who  had 
chief  part  in  the  revelations  made,  the  great  Re- 
vealer,  the  divine  Christ ;  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
whose  presence  and  influnce  John  was  enabled  to 
view  the  things  portrayed,  for  it  is  said  again  and 
again,  that  he  was  "in  the  spirit "  when  he  saw  and 
heard  these  wondrous  things. 

Look  first  toward  the  opened  door. 

Only,  as  it  were,  a  door  separates  earth  and  heaven, 
this  world  and  the  worlds  to  come.  Day  by  day  is 
it  now  opened ;  "  he  who  openeth  and  no  man  shut- 
teth,"  keeps  the  passage  way  to  heaven  open  to  his 
people ;  but  we  see  it  not  with  bodily  vision.  The 
spirit,  released  from  the  body,  passes  through  it 
into  the  presence  of  the  realities,  more  glorious  than 
the  symbols  upon  which  the  apostle  looked,  and  for 
which  these  in  part  stood. 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  S3 

Looking  through  the  opened  door,  a  view  of  the 
dazzling  throne  of  God  greeted  John,  and  the 
undescribed  and  the  indescribable  one,  the  Eternal 
Father,  was  seen  clothed  in  garments  of  light,  pure 
and  brilliant.  A  "  rainbow,"  the  sign  of  peace,  of 
hope,  of  promise,  overarched  the  throne,  revealing 
this  as  a  throne  of  grace.  Round  about  the  throne 
were  four  and  twenty  other  thrones,  or  seats — the 
word  being  the  same  as  that  translated  throne  just 
before;  and  four  and  twenty  elders  sat  thereon. 
Were  these  the  representatives  of  all  those  who, 
overcoming  every  evil,  should  be  granted  to  sit  down 
with  Christ  in  his  throne  ?  Were  they  the  elders  of 
Israel,  the  most  worthy  of  patriarchs,  and  prophets, 
and  apostles  of  Christ  ? — the  foremost  of  the  saved 
in  the  Old  and  New  Dispensations  ?  This  would 
accord  with  other  representations  in  the  book  of 
Revelation.  That  they  comprised  redeemed  souls, 
appears  from  the  song  they  afterward  sang  to  him 
who  had  redeemed  them  by  his  own  most  precious 
blood.  Granted  that  the  text  of  the  chorus  is  in 
part  questionable,  as  found  in  the  English  version ; 
yet  the  fact  that  they  were  "  clothed  in  white  rai- 
ment" — "the  white  raiment  is  the  righteousness  of 


S4  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

the  saints;"  and,  "had  on  their  heads  crowns  of 
gold,"  given,  as  we  may  well  believe,  in  accordance 
with  divine  promise,  again  and  again  spoken,  shows 
them  to  have  been  the  personifications  of  "the 
church  of  the  first-born,  which  are  written  in  heaven." 

Moreover,  that  they  were  not  angelic  dignitaries 
is  seen  in  the  order  of  the  singing,  "the  voice  of 
many  angels  round  about  the  throne,"  following 
that  of  the  beasts  and  elders,  the  latter  singing  of 
love  redeeming,  while  the  others  sang  in  general 
praise.  It  is  a  beautiful  arrangement  that  the  angels 
should  surrou7id  the  redeemed  host  of  heaven  ;  as 
if,  unlike  the  elder  son  of  the  parable  who  coveted 
the  greater  honor,  they  accorded  the  chief  place  to 
the  lost  sons  found  ;  and  enclosed  them  more  safely 
in  the  heavenly  world,  by  angelic  power,  as  they 
are  seen  subsequently  to  guard  the  gates  of  the  city 
of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

They  were,  then,  the  embodiments  of  those  who 
were  permitted  to  be  nearer  the  throne  than  others ; 
just  as  the  truest  explanation  of  the  four  beasts,  or, 
living  creatures,  in  the  midst  and  round  about  the 
throne,  is,  that  these  are  the  likenesses  of  those,  who, 
redeemed,  have,  because  of  their  christian  fidelity, 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  55 

been  privileged  to  be  nearest  the  eternal  throne. 
These,  with  the  courage  and  strength  of  the  lion, 
had  been  conquering  ones  on  earth  ;  like  the  bul- 
lock, burden  and  yoke-bearing  and  patient,  they  had 
endured  for  Christ's  sake,  and  when  they  had  long 
served,  had  been  led  to  the  sacrifice,  but  were  now 
raised  to  their  reward  by  the  hand  of  God ;  with 
the  intelligence  of  manhood,  and  with  the  rapidity 
of  the  eagle,  they  had  served  God  heretofore,  and 
now  reverently  and  humbly,  with  ever  watchful  eyes, 
as  they  looked  forth  and  beheld  the  evidences  of 
God's  glory — in  his  works  and  ways,  and  saw  other 
souls  enter  heaven;  did  they  with  tireless  voices 
proclaim  his  praise,  or  were  ready  to  go  forth  to  do 
his  bidding.  The  great  truth  Was  thus  set  forth  that 
there  are  orders  of  redeemed  souls  in  heaven ;  and 
that  our  places  there  shall  be  determined  by  our 
christian  courage  and  achievement,  our  burden  and 
cross  bearing,  our  growth  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
and  readiness  in  his  service,  here.  To  such  is  it 
given,  according  to  divine  and  gracious  promise  of 
reward  and  honor,  to  be  nearest  the  great  white 
throne  and  him  that  sitteth  thereon ;  and  to  lead 
forever  in  the  high  praises  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb. 


56  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

Merely  to  gain  heaven  for  safety's  sake,  is  not  the 
highest  ambition  of  the  christian ;  but,  to  occupy 
by  God's  grace  an  advanced  place  there.  This  be 
our  aim  and  effort.  There  is  a  throne  and  a  crown 
for  thee,  my  brother ;  a  place  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  for  all  true  christian  heroes.  Shall  we  gain  it  ? 
"Of  gold,  and  silver,  and  precious  stones,"  must  we, 
then,  build  upon  the  only  true  foundation  ;  that  our 
works  as  well  as  our  souls  may  abide  in  the  day  of  fire. 
From  the  throne  of  God,  as  John  beheld  this,  shot 
forth  "lightnings" — symbols  of  his  justice,  and 
rolled  forth  "  thunders" — booming  warnings,  and 
came  forth  "  voices  " — speaking  the  divine  invita- 
tions, and  pleadings.  "  Seven  lamps  of  fire  "  were 
burning  before  the  throne  of  God,  which  represent 
the  seven  spirits  of  God,  or  the  complete,  perfect. 
Holy  Spirit,  whose  workings  are,  indeed,  like  fire — 
enlightening,  purifying,  searching,  warming,  sanc- 
tifying, melting,  consuming ;  and  thus  doing  the  will 
of  God  in  all  the  churches  at  once,  operating  with 
seven-fold  forces  in  each  of  the  seven  churches  then  ; 
and  in  all,  now.  Before  the  throne  was  a  "  sea  of 
glass,"  the  shining  pavement  of  heaven,  on  which 
pure  and  peaceful  surface  walked  the  heavenly  hosts, 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  57 

whose  chief  occupation  is  to  "  give  glory,  and  honor, 
and  thanks,  to  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  who 
liveth  forever  and  ever  " — all  the  service  and  joys 
of  heaven,  having  this  as  their  blessed  key-note. 

But  all  this  is  the  back-ground  of  a  scene  which 
now  appeared  before  the  eyes  of  the  apostle.  In 
the  right  hand  of  him  who  sat  on  the  throne  was  a 
book,  a  scroll,  written  within  and  without — a  thing 
unusual,  for  it  was  the  wont  of  men  then  to  write 
on  only  one  side  of  the  parchment;  and  the  book 
was  sealed  with  seven  seals — again  that  complete 
number,  setting  forth  completeness  of  contents,  the 
book  being  the  great  vohc7?ie  of  the  Future.  Here 
had  been  already  penciled  God's  foreknowledge  of 
the  events  of  all  the  future  of  earth ;  and,  here,  in- 
scribed his  great  and  far  reaching  purposes,  already 
formed.  "A  strong  angel  with  a,  loud  voice  pro- 
claimed, Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book  and  to 
loose  the  seals  thereof.'' "  "And  no  man  in  heaven 
nor  in  earth,  neither  under  the  earth,  was  able  to 
open  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon."  Neither 
can  we  see  before  us  into  the  future,  nor  shape  its 
events ;  this  is  all  a  sealed  book  to  us,  except  as 
God  himself  provides  a  way  to  open  it. 


58  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

John  wept  much  because  no  man  was  found 
"worthy  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon." 
As  he  wept  one  of  the  elders  said:  "Weep  not, 
behold  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  root  of 
David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose 
the  seven  seals  thereof" — the  strong  and  conquer- 
ing one,  the  royal  one,  who  had  "prevailed"  in  the 
conflict  of  his  earthly  life,  was  able  to  open  it.  But 
as  John  looked  to  see  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
he  "beheld,  and,  lo  !  " — he  was  surprised,  for  he  saw 
not  the  form  of  a  lion,  but  "in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  and  of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  elders" — for  he  was  the  center  of  even  these 
and  of  the  throne  itself — "stood  a  lamb  as  it  had 
been  slain,  having  seven  horns  and  seven  eyes,  which 
are  the  seven  spirits  of  God,  sent  forth  into  all  the 
earth,"  the  Holy  Spirit  being  represented  by  the 
latter  as  subject  to  Christ  in  his  work.  The  Lamb 
of  God,  as  slain,  the  crucified  but  living  Redeemer, 
with  the  strength  and  courage  of  the  lion  and  the 
innocence  and  worth  of  the  sacrificial  lamb,  who,  as 
the  Lamb  was  the  Lion,  came  and  took  the  book 
from  the  right  hand  of  him  who  sat  upon  the  throne ; 
and,  as  he  did  so,  beasts   and  elders  fell  down  in 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  59 

worship  before  him,  and  a  new  song  was  sung  in 
heaven  :  "  worthy  is  the  Lamb  !  "  Angels  took  it 
up,  "ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thous- 
ands of  thousands ;  "  and  earth  caught  the  strain  as 
this  floated  down  the  heavenly  heights ;  the  whole 
universe  swelled  the  chorus  of  the  grand  oratorio : 
"  Blessing  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto 
him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  unto  the  Lamb, 
forever  and  ever."  The  heavenly  songs  commencing 
here  run  through  the  book  of  Revelation,  and  the 
anthems  of  joy,  from  first  to  last,  are  poured  forth 
to  Christ. 

11.  Behold,  now,  the  unsealed  book. 

As  each  seal  of  the  book  was  broken,  the  scroll 
within  was  unrolled ;  and  the  things  that  appeared 
were  evidently  pictured,  and  passed  before  the  eyes 
of  the  apostle  as  a  panorama.  The  first  four  scrolls 
were  adorned  with  forms  of  horses.  There  was, 
doubtless,  a  special  design  in  this,  the  image  con- 
veying a  definite  idea,  and  possessing  a  particular 
meaning  then.  However  unforeseen  were  the  events 
symbolized,  the  symbols  would  make  a  precise  im- 
pression. At  one  time  they  might  represent  war, 
at  another  rapid  marches,  at  another  burden-bear- 


^o 


THE    OPENED    DOOR 


ing  or  racing.  The  intent  of  the  symbol  would  be 
in  accordance  with  the  most  marked  service  to 
•which  the  horse  was  put  at  the  time  the  emblem  was 
given.  Both  scriptural  and  classical  references 
present  it  as  then  representing  war^  fleetness  and 
strength.  The  events  symbolized  should  be  warlike ; 
material  or  moral  conquest  should  take  place,  and 
other  things  be  done  in  which  the  horse  should  be 
used — things  passing  with  the  rapidity  and  strength 
of  the  horse. 

We  should  expect  from  the  gradual  unfolding  of 
the  seals,  that  the  events  foreshadowed  would  be 
progressive.  The  horses  were  seen  going  forth,  at 
times  from  conquering  to  conquer,  as  should  the 
events  pass  gradually  on.  Moreover,  we  should 
judge  that  the  epochs  of  history  would  follow  each 
other;  that,  while  they  might  grow  out  of  each 
other,  the  second  should  begin  after  the  first  com- 
menced ;  the  third,  thus,  to  succeed  the  second ; 
and  so  on  to  the  last  seal  broken. 

Remembering  that  these  are  ideal  symbols ;  that 
while  Christ  is  said  to  have  unrolled  the  book,  he, 

the  Divine  Artist,  pictured  the   scenes  before  the 

« 

eyes  of  John — which  is  the  meaning  of  the  repre- 
sentation— behold  now, 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  6l 

Sealj^rsf  broken. — As  the  Lamb  broke  this,  John 
"  saw  and  behold  a  w/iife  horse ;  and  he  that  sat  on 
him  had  a  bow ;  and  a  crown  was  given  unto  him ; 
and  he  went  forth  conquering  to  conquer." 

It  is  natural  to  ask  what  was  the  significance  of 
this  color  of  the  horse  ?  what  special  meaning  did 
this  have.?  White  is  the  emblem  of  "innocence, 
purity,  prosperity."  White  horses  were  used  by  the 
ancients  on  occasions  of  state  and  victory.  In  tri- 
umphal processions,  the  conqueror  was  drawn  by 
white  horses ;  on  marriage  parades  and  coronation 
displays,  these  were  again  selected ;  besides  which, 
the  white  horse  was  supposed  to  be  capable  of 
greater  speed  than  others :  so,  used  as  a  symbol,  it 
would  convey  the  idea  of  prosperity,  of  rapid  and 
far  extended  triumphs. 

The  things  revealed  were  to  begin  to  come  to  pass 
"shortly"  after  the  revelation  was  made.  As  the 
providence  of  God  would  have  it,  the  historian 
Gibbon,  singularly  enough,  takes  up  the  history  of 
the  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire  at 
about  the  time  John  wrote' his  wonderful  visions. 
We  are  thus  enabled  without  any  intention  to  this 
effect,   on   the   historian's  part,  to   learn   from   his 


62  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

writings  whether  anything  transpired  soon  after  the 
Revelation  was  made,  which  answered  to  the 
symbol  of  the  white  horse,  and  to  the  other  succes- 
sive representations. 

The  very  year  in  which  the  book  of  Revelation 
was  written,  A.  D.,  96,  marked  an  epoch  in  the 
history  of  the  Roman  Empire.  Domitian,  called 
by  Gibbon,  "  a  cruel  tyrant,  the  last  of  the  twelve 
Caesars,"  died,  and  a  new  period  was  opened  by  the 
accession  of  Nerva,  "  noted  for  his  virtues,"  a 
"great  general  and  popular  Emperor,"  under  whom 
the  Empire  attained  its  greatest  dominion.  In  A.  D., 
117,  Adrian  became  emperor,  able  and  devoted  to 
the  true  interests  of  the  Empire ;  while  Antoninus 
Pius  and  Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus,  the  one  in 
the  year  138  and  the  other  in  161,  followed,  and.  by 
their  wise  administration  of  the  government,  pro- 
longed an  era  of  the  greatest  prosperity  to  the  year 
180  A.  D.  This  period  is  called  by  Gibbon  dis- 
tinctively an  "age,"  the  "age  of  the  Antonines;" 
and  is  placed  by  him  foremost  in  the  annals  of  the 
world's  history,  in  the  remarkable  words :  "  If  a 
man  were  called  to  fix  the  period  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  during  which  the  condition  of  the  human 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  63 

race  was  most  happy  and  prosperous;  he  would,' 
without  hesitation,  name  that  which  elapsed  from 
the  death  of  Domitian  to  the  accession  of  Commo- 
dus."  Virtue  and  wisdom  characterized  the  exer- 
cise of  power,  the  armies  were  well  regulated,  the 
laws  respected  and  justly  administered,  the  emper- 
ors honoring  liberty  and  not  using  their  great  power 
despotically.  On  the  banks  of  the  Danube  and  the 
Tigris  rode  the  white  horse  from  conquering  to 
conquer,  new  nations  being  added  to  the  Empire. 
The  "bow"  and  the  "crown"  had  a  significance 
then  which  they  could  have  had  only  in  that  period  ; 
for  the  bow^  was  not  a  usual  Roman  weapon,  but 
was  Cretan,  and  w^as  appropriately  used  only 
because  Nerva  was  a  Cretan  by  birth;  and  the 
crown  of  laurel  then  worn  was  soon  replaced  by 
the  jeweled  diadem.  If  the  symbol  disclosed  by 
the  breaking  of  the  first  seal  had  been  formed  after 
instead  of  before  this  period  it  could  not  have  been 
more  expressive. 

But,  in  a  manner  characteristic  of  prophecy,  the 
symbol  bears  a  double  reference.      As  the  prophe-. 
cies  of  the  Old  Testament  relate  both  to  the  nations 
then  existing,   and   the   gospel   dispensation   to  be 


64  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

brought  forth;  and,  as  the  prophecy  of  Christ 
mingled  its  declarations  of  the  destruction  of  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem  and  the  end  of  the  world :  so, 
does  the  symbol  of  this  first  seal  have  a  double 
bearing ;  for  while  so  truly  applicable  to  the  period 
named,  in  its  outward  circumstances,  it,  also,  sets 
forth  the  rapid  and  far  spread  triumphs  of  the  gos- 
pel which  then  took  place. 

Once  again,  as  we  see  farther  on  in  Revelation — 
ch.  19:  II — did  the  "white  horse"  ride  forth,  and 
"  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and  True, 
and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and  make  war." 
In  this  instance,  it  is  to  final  conquest,  and  victory, 
and  judgment,  that  he  moves ;  for  "  he  was  clothed 
with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood ; "  but  in  the  case 
before  us  he  goes  forth  to  conquer  simply  the  hearts 
of  men.  "  From  conquering  to  conquer "  did  he 
ride — as  if,  as  it  has  been  well  said,  "  he  had  con- 
quered in  his  death  and  resurrection,  and  will 
conquer  "  in  his  work  as  the  living  Jesus. 

The  gospel  was  spread  with  marvelous  rapidity 
'then.  Its  triumphs  in  the  first  century,  during 
the  lives  of  the  apostles,  were  great;  but  they  were 
far  surpassed  now.     Where  before  it  had  been   re- 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  65 

ceived,  it  was  now  welcomed  more  fully ;  and  in  all 
directions,  to  the  most  distant  parts,  did  it  gain  the 
most  astonishing  victories.  It  moved  like  an  army 
with  banners,  led  by  the  "  Captain  of  Joshua's  host," 
who  in  olden  time  had  led  his  people  to  the  con- 
quest of  Canaan ;  and  who  now  on  white  horse,  as 
a  conqueror,  sped  the  arrows  of  conviction  into  the 
hearts  of  millions.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
Roman  Empire  became  professed  christians.  Per- 
sia, Hither  India,  Mesopotamia,  Armenia,  Arabia, 
Asia  Minor,  Greece,  Italy,  Germany,  Spain,  Gaul, 
Britain,  Egypt  and  Northern  Africa,  were  the  scenes 
of  its  triumph.  Some  of  these  countries  had 
numerous  churches  and  were  "full  of  Christians." 
These  were  everywhere  aggressive.  Missionaries, 
no  more  than  merchants,  travelers,  and  other  private 
individuals,  sought  to  lead  men  to  Christ;  all,  even 
female  captives,  were  busy  telling  of  Christ's  love 
to  sinners.  The  very  number  of  Christians  made 
it  a  matter  of  policy  with  Trajan  and  Adrian  to 
shield  them  measurably  from  the  wrath  of  their 
enemies.  To  have  photographed  the  spread  of  the 
gospel  then,  would  have  been  to  produce  the  picture 
of  a  white  horse  with  crowned  and  armed  rider, 
5 


66  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

going  "  from  conquering  to  conquer;  "  and  the  first- 
sealed  scroll  is  verified,  is  broken  and  reproduced 
in  history,  in  fact. 

Behold  seal  second  broken. — As  the  hands  of  the 
Lamb  of  God  broke  this  and  unrolled  the  second 
scroll,  there  "went  out  another  horse  that  was  red : 
and  power  was  given  to  him  that  sat  thereon  to  take 
peace  fr 0171  the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one 
another :  and  there  was  given  unto  him  a  great 
sword y 

Red  was  the  symbol  of  devastation,  of  war,  of 
bloodshed.  The  period  of  peace  and  prosperity 
just  spoken  of,  was  to  be  done  away  with,  was  to 
be  "  taken  away,"  doubtless,  in  such  a  marked  man- 
ner as  to  be  distinctly  traced;  and  internal,  civil 
war  should  follow,  for  they  would  "  kill  one  another ;" 
and  the  sword  wielded  should  be  "  great,"  as  expres- 
sive of  the  great  slaughter  which  should  occur. 

Was  this  realized }  For,  remember  we  are  deal- 
ing with  facts,  not  fancies;  historic  facts,  related'to 
us  by  one  who  was  not  prejudiced  in  favor  of  Christ- 
ianity, yet  who  stated  general  facts  as  he'knew  them, 
truly.  We  find  from  history  that  the  death  of  Mar- 
cus Antoninus,  and  the  accession  of  Commodus,  A. 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  67 

D.  180,  marked  a  new  era  in  Roman  history,  an  era 
extending  some  eighty  or  ninety  years.  It  was  a 
time  of  civil  war ;  the  Romans  "  killed  one  another," 
some  thirty  emperors  and  twenty-seven  pretenders 
to  the  Empire  violently  supplanting  each  other. 
Whether  the  symbol  was  intended  to  cover  the 
whole  of  this  period,  or  whether  other  seals  embrac- 
ed a  part  of  it,  it  was  certainly  appropriate  to  the 
first  portion  of  it — from  the  time  that  the  weak 
Commodus  yielded  to  the  thirst  for  blood,  and, 
when  civil  war  sprang  up  and  prevailed. 

As  even  before  the  sun  rises  in  the  east,  the  re- 
flection of  his  beams  may  be  seen  on  the  western 
hills;  so,  before  the  time  came  for  men  actually  to 
see  these  things,  were  they  illumined  with  the  light 
of  Revelation  :  but  it  was  as  if  only""  the  red  rays 
were  reflected. 

Seal  t/ii'rd  broken. 

When  the  Lamb  had  opened  the  third  seal  "lo,  a 
d/ack  horse,"  was  seen,  "and  he  that  sat  on  him  had 
a  J>azr  of  balances  in  his  hand ;  and  I  heard  a  voice 
in  the  midst  of  the  four  beasts  say,  A  measure  of 
wheat  for  a  penny  and  three  measures  of  barley[for  a 
penny;  and  see  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine." 


68  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

The  color  of  this  horse  denotes  distress  and  cal- 
amity. In  scripture  it  is  used  for  fear,  famine,  and 
death.  The  "  scales  "  were  the  symbol  of  justice  or 
equity;  but  when  used  to  measure  corn  or  food, 
they  were  the  emblem  of  scarcity,  or  it  might  be  of 
exaction.  This  is  the  idea  advanced  here ;  for  a 
great  rise  in  the  price  of  provisions  is  set  forth,  and 
an  appeal  is  made  to  the  people  to  be  careful  of 
their  vines  and  olive  trees,  and  all  waste  was  to 
cease.  This  might  grow  out  of  or  be  associated 
with  burdensome  taxation,  which  would  lead  the 
people  to  destroy  their  vines  rather  than  be  oppressed. 

Such  a  condition  of  things  did  exist  in  the  Empire, 
and  contributed  to  the  downfall  of  this,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  Gibbon  being  closely  connected  with  this. 
The  people  were  taxed  most  exactingly,  and  an 
edict  was  issued,  that  "  If  any  one  shall  sacrilegiously 
cut  a  vine,  or  stint  the  fruit  of  prolific  boughs,  and 
craftily  feign  poverty,  in  order  to  avoid  a  fair  assess- 
ment, he  shall  immediately  on  detection,  suffer  death, 
and  his  property  be  confiscated."  The  greatest 
distress  accompanied  these  exactions.  Brutal  pun- 
ishments were  inflicted  on  the  people,  many  being 
made'to  suffer  death,   mendicants   alone   escaping ; 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  69 

and  these  were  ordered  to  be  gathered,  placed  on 
board  a  vessel,  and  taken  to  sea  and  drowned. 

If  this  whole  feature  of  Roman  history  were  in 
its  substance  or  meaning,  as  it  transpired,  thrown 
upon  canvas,  we  should  have  the  picture  of  a  black 
horse  with  a  rider  thereon,  bearing  a  pair  of  scales. 
This  is  the  picture  Revelation  gives,  true  to  the  facts. 

^^dX  fourth  opened. 

When  the  fourth  seal  was  opened,  "  behold,  a  pale 
horse :  and  his  name  that  sat  on  him  was  Death,  and 
hell  (or  hades)  followed  with  him.  And  power  was 
given  unto  them  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth, 
to  kill  with  the  sword,  and  with  hunger,  and  with 
death,  and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth." 
•  The  word  pale  here* means  pale  green  or  yellow- 
ish green,  and  represents  the  reign  of  death,  as 
paleness  is  one  of  the  features  of  this.  But  it  would 
be  death  not  so  much  through  war  as  by  disease. 
There  are  four  ways  in  which  it  is  here  set  forth ; 
death  by  sword,  by  famine,  by  death  or  pestilence, 
and  by  wild  beasts,  the  latter  three  growing  out  of, 
or  attending  .the  first;  as  famine,  pestilence,  and, 
in  some  places,  the  ravages  of  wild  beasts,  result 
from  war. 


70  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

All  this  we  find  confirmed  by  facts.  A  period 
from  A.  D.  243-268,  follows  that  of  the  exactions 
of  the  last  mentioned  phase  of  Roman  history,  and 
corresponds  with  the  symbol  opened  by  the  break- 
ing of  the  fourth  seal.  It  was  the  time  of  the  first 
Gothic  invasion  of  the  Empire,  the  Goths,  in  the 
year  250,  coming  down  the  Danube,  passing  around 
through  Greece,  and  approaching  nearly  within 
sight  of  Rome  itself.  In  the  sack  of  one  city  alone, 
100,000  persons  were  put  to  death.  Both  from 
foreign  invasion  and  domestic  strife,  were  multi- 
tudes destroyed  with  the  sword.  This  was  not 
all.  Gibbon  says :  "  This  gloomy  period  of  his- 
tory has  been  decorated  with  inundations,  earth- 
quakes, uncommon  meteors,  and  preternatural 
darkness,  and  a  crowd  of  prodigies,  fictitious  or 
exaggerated.  But  a  long  and  general  famine  was 
a  calamity  of  a  more  serious  kind.  It  was  the 
inevitable  consequence  of  rapine  and  oppression, 
which  extirpated  the  produce  of  the  present,  and 
the  hope  of  future  harvests."  So,  they  were 
"killed  with  hunger."  They  were,  also,  to  be 
killed  with  Death,  the  sombre  name  given  to  pesti- 
lence.    Of  this  Gibbon  writes  :     "  Famine  is  almost 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  71 

always  followed  by  epidemical  diseases,  the  effect 
of  scarcity  and  unwholesome  food.  Other  causes 
must,  however,  have  contributed  to  the  furious 
plague  which,  from  the  year  250-265,  raged  without 
interruption  in  every  province,  every  city,  and  almost 
every  family,  of  the  Roman  Empire.  During  some 
time  5,000  persons  died  daily  in  Rome,  and  many 
towns  that  had  escaped  the  hands  of  the  barbarians, 
were  entirely  depopulated.  Half  of  the  population 
of  Alexandria  perished ;  and  could  we  venture  to 
extend  the  analogy  to  the  other  provinces,  we  might 
suspect  that  war,  pestilence,  and  famine,  had  con- 
sumed, in  a  few  years,  a  moiety  of  the  human 
species."  History  speaks,  also,  of  wild  beasts,  which 
at  this  period  extended  their  devastations. 

For  an  artist  with  the  keen  eye  and  skilled  hand 
of  a  Nast  (think  of  a  Nast,  the  most  wonderful 
caricaturist  of  the  age,  inspired  of  God!)  to  have 
drawn  an  emblem  of  that  time,  he  should  have  pen- 
ciled no  more  faithful  symbol,  than  that  of  the  pale 
horse  with  Death  as  its  rider. 

^Qd\  fifth  opened. 

When  the  fifth  seal  was  broken  a  vision  was  seen 
of  the  martyrs  before  the  altar  of  God,  as  if  their 


72  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

blood,  like  Abel's  from  the  ground,  cried  from 
beneath  the  altar  of  sacrifice,  unto  God  on  behalf 
of  their  brethren.  The  evident  intent  of  this  vision 
was  to  display  an  age  of  martyrdom,  which  should 
succeed  the  last  period  and  the  others  noticed. 

Do  we  find  anything  which  accords  with  such  a 
representation.?  Again  the  symbol  is  a  faithful 
shadow  cast  upon  the  page  of  Revelation  by  a  reality- 
the  reality  being  seen  in  advance  only  by  the  divine 
mind,  the  sunlight  of  his  wisdom  alone  sufficing  to 
create  the  shadow,  before  men  beheld  the  substance. 
Diocletian  became  Emperor  in  the  year  284,  and 
reigned  until  A.  D.  304.  It  was  in  this  period  that 
one  of  the  notable  persecutions  of  christians  by  the 
Roman  government  took  place.  It  was  the  tenth 
that  came  from  this  quarter,  and  was  the  last  directly 
from  this,  being  designed  so  to  be.  A  great,  a  uni- 
versal, effort  was  purposely  made  to  destroy  com- 
pletely and  everywhere  the  christian  name  even. 
In  its  magnitude  and  severity,  it  surpassed  any 
that  preceded  it.  The  prisons  were  crowded  with 
christians :  the  rack,  the  scourge,  the  iron  hook,  the 
red-hot  bed;  fire,  steel,  savage  beasts  and  more 
savage  men,  were  made  to  do,  and  did  their  utmost 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  75 

to  annihilate  Christianity  in  all  the  Roman  Empire. 
The  effort  proved  a  failure,  confessedly  so ;  for  Gale- 
rius,  who  instigated  Diocletian  to  commence  the  per- 
secution, himself  published  an  edict  of  toleration,  and 
requested  christians  to  pray  for  the  public  welfare. 

When  the  sixth  seal  was  broken,  the  wonder  of 
John  was  anew  excited ;  and,  now  perhaps  more 
than  ever ;  for  the  scene  made  visible  was  more 
fearful.    This  is  pictured  in  the  6th  chapter,  v.  1 2-1 7 . 

This  representation,  like  the  others,  was  symboli- 
cal. The  mistake  has  been  made  to  suppose  that 
it  was  literal,  and  referred  to  the  end  of  the  world ; 
whereas,  like  the  images  disclosed  by  the  opening 
of  the  other  seals,  it  is  the  reflection  of  a  definite 
period  of  history,  one  following  that  of  the  fifth  seal 
and  coming  before  the  seventh.  The  whole  symbol 
betokens  consternatio7i^  commotion  mid  changes.  The 
"earthquake"  is  most  frequently  used  in  scrip- 
ture to  denote  the  agitation '  and  breaking  up  of 
nations;  "sack-cloth,"  sadness  and  distress;  the 
"moon  red  like  blood,"  war;  "stars  of  heaven," 
princes  and  rulers;  the  "departing  heavens,"  revo- 
lution in  high  places;  and  "mountains"  and 
"islands  "  moving  out  of  their  places,  great  convuK 


74  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

sions  in  the  political  and  moral  world  :  all  of  which 
was  fulfilled  soon  after  the  Diocletian  persecution. 
When  Constantine  ascended  the  throne,  there  was 
a  turning  and  overturning.  Other  Emperors  were 
put  out  of  the  way ;  the  Roman  Eagle  gave  way  on 
their  ensigns  to  the  cross ;  the  capital  was  moved  to 
Constantinople,  a  city  newly  built,  and  which  had 
never  known  the  pagan  idols;  and  the  form  of 
government  was  altered.  "Heathen  augurs  and 
soothsayers,  were  suppressed ;  heathen  priests  and 
magistrates  were  removed;  heathen  temples  were 
demolished,"  and  "a  new  religion,  and  a  new  order 
of  things  arose  in  the  world's  history."  While  to 
make  the  period  doubly  true  to  the  symbol,  after 
the  time  of  Constantine,  but  in  the  same  century, 
the  Huns  and  Goths  threatened  the  Empire ;  their 
approach  being  preceded,  in  the  year  365,  by  an 
earthquake  most  fearful  and  destructive,  which 
shook  the  greatest  part  of  the  Roman  world.  In 
Alexandria  alone  50,000  persons  lost  their  lives  by 
the  incoming  and  outgoing  of  the  waters  of  the  sea. 
Consternation  was  spread  by  these  things  among  all 
classes  of  the  people :  an  awful  realization  of  a 
most  dreadful  picture. 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  75 

A  momentary  change  now  takes  place,  connected 
with  the  last  scene  and  the  one  to  follow.  The 
winds  which  threaten  the  world  are  restrained  as  by 
four  angels.  A  command  comes  forth  from  another 
angel,  to  check  the  winds  until  the  servants  of  God 
are  sealed — sealed,  that  they  might  be  known  and 
be  safe  in  the  day  of  danger;  the  winds  referring 
to  the  hordes  of  enemies  on  the  borders  of  the  Em- 
pire, who,  strange  to  say,  when  the  invasion  took 
place,  were  careful  to  spare  christians.  The  true 
servants  of  God  were  sealed  with  the  truth,  through 
the  teachings  of  good  men,  against  that  time  of  trial 
which  marked  the  union  of  church  and  state  that 
took  place,  in  one  form  under  Constantine,  when 
with  the  multitude  who  were  led  by  patronage  and 
worldly  favor  to  join  the  church,  increased  error 
and  worldliness  poured  into  this. 

That  the  Huns  were  stayed  on  the  borders  of  the 
Empire,  is  a  fact ;  and  the  word  of  God  was  ful- 
filled amid  the  acclaims  of  angels.  Though  the 
number  sealed  was  comparatively  small — 144,- 
000 — it  was  seen  to  be  only  a  part  of  an  innumerable 
company  who  out  of  every  nation  should  be  gather- 
ed with  all  the  martyrs,  to   hunger  and   thirst  and 


76  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

suffer  no  more ;  "  for  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead 
them  to  living  fountains  of  water,  and  God  shall 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." 

One  more  seal  remained  to  be  broken.  "And 
when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal,  there  was 
silence  in  heaven  about  the  space  of  half  an  hour." 
There  was  pause  as  if  one  series  of  events  had  ended, 
and  another  was  to  commence,  the  two  blending. 
With  the  notice  of  the  one,  I  now  close. 

T  point  you  in  conclusion  to  the  historic  confirma- 
tion of  the  word  of  God,  to  the  very  fulfillment  of 
its  symbols ;  and  so  direct  you  to  the  lesson  of  faith 
in  God  and  his  word. 

It  is  a  marked  feature  of  the  book  of  Revelation 
that  so  often  the  addresses  are  personal;  as  if  the 
disclosures,  with  their  lessons,  were  not  simply  for 
the  church  of  Christ  as  a  whole,  but  for  distinct 
churches,  and  for  individuals  :  so,  the  lesson  of  faith 
taught  by  the  scenes  of  the  Opened  Door  and  Un- 
sealed Book,  is  for  each  child  of  God;  and,  as  we 
are  enabled  to  trust  Christ  for  the  unfoldings  of 
history,  we  are,  also,  permitted  to  resign  to  him  our 
personal  lives.     Our  future  is  not  uncertain ;    it  is 


AND    UNSEALED    BOOK.  77 

before  God  as  if  it  were  now.  The  book  has  been 
written  before  him,  every  line  fully  inscribed,  and 
the  proof-sheets  are  already  in  the  hand  of  Jesus. 
I  repeat,  in  the  hand  of  Jesus.  In  his  keeping,  as 
the  Lamb  of  God,  has  it  been  placed;  and  his  per- 
sonal worthiness,  what  he  has  done  for  us,  and  all 
his  great  dealings  in  the  world,  inspire  fullest  confi- 
dence in  him.  That  he  so  loved  us  as  to  give  him- 
self for  us,  is  the  pledge  of  our  safety  and  good. 
Love  that  sufficed  to  lead  him  to  die  for  us,  is  ade- 
quate to  all  else ;  and,  we  know  that  while  the  book 
is  in  his  hand,  and  is  opened  by  him,  and  for  his 
sake,  and  in  his  interests,  nothing  shall  befall  us  at  va- 
riance with  our  redemption,  with  our  being  kings  and 
priests  unto  God,  and  our  final  triumph  over  all  evil. 
However  varied  are  the  unfolding  records,  as 
gradually  the  seals  are  broken,  all  is  fully  under 
Christ's  direction,  under  his  charge  as  our  loving 
and  atoning  Savior.  To  the  very  end  of  our  lives 
shall  the  pages  be  turned  by  him.  Not  a  part  of 
the  years  alone,  but  all  of  these — the  snowy  pages 
of  winter,  the  fragrant  chapters  of  spring,  the 
guadily  embellished  leaves  of  summer,  the  golden 
edged  pages  of  autumn,  to  winters  again ;   all  shall 


yS  THE    OPENED    DOOR 

be  turned  by  the  same  divine  fingers,  and  shall  teach 
us  what  he  wills,  and  the  words  shall  be  illustrated, 
with  life-size  pictures,  in  which  our  features  shall 
be  stamped,  our  homes  portrayed,  as  by  photo- 
graphic art;  for  the  book  is  an  album  as  well 
as  a  history.  On — beyond  this  life,  to  the  glories 
of  the  resurrection,  to  the  realities  of  the  judgment, 
and  the  splendors  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  every  true 
christian  shall  be  an  object  of  Christ's  special  care 
and  love.     Believe  it  !     Rejoice  in  it ! 


IV.  , 

i|e  ^flunbing  Crumpets. 

Revelation^  Chapter  8 :  2-1  j.     g. 

g^®>^S  there  were  seven  seals  broken,  so  were  there 
^ti^  seven  trumpets  sounded.  I  shall  point  to 
only  six  of  these  now. 

There  is  a  connection  between  the  breaking  of 
the  seals  and  the  sounding  of  the  Trumpets.  It 
appears  that  the  book  whose  seals  were  opened  was 
the  prophetic  and  symbolic  record  of  all  future 
time ;  and  that  the  contents  of  the  seventh  scroll 
was  the  seven  trumpets,  and  these  cover  the  outward, 
political,  civil  history  of  the  world,  until  the  con- 
summation of  things  on  earth,  and  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ.  There  is  then,  after  this  general  view,  a 
going  back  and  taking  up  of  ecclesiastical  history, 
of  the  moral  record  of  the  christian  centuries,  until 
the  New  Jerusalem  shall  come  down  from  God  out 
of  heaven. 


8o  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

The  trumpet  was  used  to  herald  the  approach  of 
any  given  thing.  It  made  proclamation  ;  it  aroused; 
it  sounded  the  charge  of  embattled  hosts.  The  use 
of  it  might  be  specially  connected  with  the  persons 
whom  the  symbols  set  forth. 

There  is  a  division  made  between  the  first  four 
trumpets  and  the  remaining  three,  as  if  a  series  of 
four  marked  periods,  having  something  in  common, 
was  to  be  followed  by  others  having  also  something 
akin  to  each  other.  This  very  division,  as  we  shall 
see,  adds  another  evidence  to  the  wonderful  fidelity 
of  the  book  before  us,  gives  additional  proof  of  its 
divine  origin. 

The  pause,  or  silence,  spoken  of  as  following  the 
opening  of  the  seventh  seal,  was  to  end;  the  four 
winds  which  had  been  restrained  until  God's  ser- 
vants were  sealed,  were  to  be  unloosed  and  to  go 
forth  with  their  fierce  power  upon  the  earth,  in  re- 
sponse to  the  sounding  of  the  first  four  trumpets. 
Prayers  had  been  offered  by  the  saints  of  God  that 
threatened  evil  might  be  averted.  However  earnest 
the  prayer,  it  was  offered  in  submission  to  God's 
will.  "  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  in  heaven," 
mingled  with   the  incense  presented  by  the   angel 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  8l 

upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne ; 
"and  the  smoke  of  the  incense  with  the  prayers  of 
the  saints  ascended  up  before  God  out  of  the  angel's 
hand."  But  God  answered  in  his  own  way,  not  in 
the  way  of  peace,  so  agreeable  to  the  natural  heart ; 
for  "  the  angel  took  the  censer,  and  filled  it  with  fire 
off  the  altar,  and  cast  it  into  the  earth,  and  there 
were  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  lightnings,  and 
an  earthquake," — pleadings  with  men,  thunders  of 
warning,  lightnings  of  judgment  and  wrath,  an  earth-*- 
quake  of  breaking  up  and  overthrow  :  thus  did  God 
answer  prayer  then,  and  the  trumpets  commenced 
to  sound. 

According  to  the  explanation  I  am  giving  to  you 
of  the  book  of  Revelation,  we  shall  look  to  events 
succeeding  those  symbolized  by  the  opening  of  the 
seals,  for  the  interpretation  of  the  sounding  trumpets ; 
for  distinct  events  under  each  of  these,  and  for  a 
natural  grouping  of  the  first  four  and  the  latter 
three.  You  will  see  that  this  is  a  searching  test  to 
which  to  put  the  word  of  God.  It  is  the  historic 
test;  and,  in  part,  it  is  subjecting  that  word  to  a 
mathematical  demonstration,  to  which  some  men 
would  prefer  to  subject  all  truth,  and  the  results  of 
6 


52  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

which,  SO  far  as  it  can  be  rightly  used,  are  accepted 
as  conclusive.  Employing  the  latter  method,  we  do 
not  always  expect  a  strictly  accurate  demonstration. 
If  the  product  is  correct  in  round  numbers  it  is  true  ; 
the  nearer,  however,  is  the  sum  required  and  the 
sum  obtained,  the  better  will  be  our  satisfaction. 

Listen  now  to  the  sounding  of  the  ^rst  Trumpet. 

"  The  first  angel  sounded,  and  there  followed  hail 
and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  and  they  were  cast 
upon  the  earth ;  and  the  third  part  of  trees  was 
burned  up;  and  all  green  grass  was  burned  up." 

A  fierce  storm  was  to  take  place,  a  storm  of  hail, 
accompanied  by  lightning,  and  mingled  as  with  red 
snow,  like  blood.  It  was  to  beat  upon  the  ea?-///,  as 
if  cast  upon  this  with  fierce  power.  It  was  distinctly 
the  earth  that  was  to  be  atfected ;  or,  the  people  who 
dwelt  upon  the  /a//d  were  to  suffer.  Those  things 
which  had  the  strength  of  trees  should  not  be  de- 
stroyed in  full,  but  all  that  was  tender  as  the  green 
grass  should  be  burnt  up,  desolated. 

A  tail  storm  was  generally  a  symbol  of  divine 
vengeance.  It  was  so  used  in  the  plagues  visited 
upon  Egypt,  when  the  "Lord  sent  thunder  and  hail, 
and  the  fire" — or  lightning,  "  ran  along  the  ground  ; 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  83 

and  the  Lord  rained  hail  upon  the  land  of  Egypt." 
We  read  in  Job  of  "  the  treasure  of  the  hail "  which 
God  declares  he  has  "  reserved  against  the  day  of 
trouble,  against  the  day  of  battle  and  war."  When 
David  speaks  of  his  deliverance  from  his  enemies, 
he  says  :  "  The  Lord  also  thundered  in  the  heavens, 
and  the  Most  High  gave  forth  his  voice,  hailstones 
and  coals  of  fire."  The  lightning  is  a  means  of 
destruction ;  red  snow  is  a  thing  not  uncommon  in 
the  Alps,  and  would  be  a  strange  but  striking  sym- 
bol of  bloodshed.  The  devastation  of  fields,  of 
trees,  and  grass,  would  attend  an  invasion  by  a  fierce 
€nemy. 

Do  we  find  anything  in  the  natural  order  of  events, 
recorded  in  history,  which  answers  to  this  symbol  ? 
Remember,  that  in  our  last  lecture  we  were  brought 
by  most  conclusive,  and,  from  a  human  standpoint, 
surprising  resemblances  between  the  symbols  of  the 
unsealed  book  and  the  events  of  history  in  the 
Roman  Empire,  from  the  age  of  the  Antonines  to 
the  times  of  Constantine,  from  the  latter  part  of 
the  first  to  the  latter  part  of  the  fourth  centuries. 
We  must,  therefore,  take  up  the  connection  here. 
So  doing,  we  learn  from  unprejudiced  history,  that 


84  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

a  most  marked  event  took  place  early  in  the  fifth 
century;  commencing  about  the  year  410,  A.  D, 
This  event  was  the  second  invasion  of  the  Roman 
Empire  by  the  Goths  under  Alaric.  He  had  been 
in  the  employ  of  the  Roman  Government,  had 
sought  and  been  refused  the  command  of  its  armies  ; 
and,  subsequently  in  retribution,  had  led  that  host 
which  spread  such  consternation  through  the  Roman 
Empire ;  and,  though  checked  in  his  career  of  con- 
quest then,  he  now,  again,  invaded  this.  The  im- 
perial court,  in  its  consternation,  moved  its  location, 
as  it  had  done  once  before,  this  time  from  Milan  to 
Ravenna.  Gibbon  describes  the  assembling  of  the 
barbarians  along  the  coast  of  the  Baltic,  as  the 
gathering  of  a  "  dark  cloud  "  which  "burst  in  thun- 
der upon  the  banks  of  the  upper  Danube."  The 
symbol  set  forth  the  bursting  and  beating  of  a 
thunder  storm ;  and  an  unchristian  historian  view- 
ing the  reality  without  reference  to  the  scripture, 
likened  it  to  just  this.  A  historian  who  wrote  in 
that  very  period  declares :  "  The  sword  of  the  bar- 
barians destroyed  the  greatest  multitude  of  men ; 
and  among  other  calamities,  dry  heats  with  flashes 
of  flame  and  whirlwinds  of  fire,  occasioned  various 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  85 

and  intolerable  terrors;  yea,  and  hail  greater  than 
could  be  held  in  a  man's  hand  fell  down  in  several 
places,  weighing  as  much  as  eight  pounds."  Clau- 
dian,  in  a  poem  on  this  same  war,  likens  the  invaders 
to  a  storm  of  hail. 

The  barbarians  reached  Rome,  and  again  and 
again  laid  siege  to  the  city.  The  tender  grass  was 
consumed.  Within  the  famished  city,  mothers  de- 
voured their  own  children;  and  pestilence  with 
famine,  did  their  fearful  work.  In  the  year  410,  the 
gates  were  treacherously  opened,  at  midnight,  to  the 
besieging  hosts,  and  the  doomed  people  were  startled 
from  their  troubled  sleep  by  the  blasts  of  the  Gothic 
trumpets,  followed  by  the  ravages  of  the  conquerors. 
Nearly  twelve  hundred  years  after  its  foundation, 
Rome,  the  proud  center  of  a  world-wide  power  was 
in  the  possession  of  men,  swayed  by  brute  force, 
from  Germany  and  Scythia.  The  havocs  of  that 
fierce  storm  were  not  limited  to  the  city  of  Rome  ; 
it  swept  over  all  the  provinces  of  Gaul,  The  Romans 
had,  in  the  times  preceding,  gone  up  the  Rhine,  and 
had  built  beautiful  residences  and  cities  along  the 
river;  while  others  had  given  themselves  to  agricul- 
ture and  horticulture :  but  now  suddenly   beat  the 


86  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

dread  tempest  of  war  upon  them ;  and,  like  the  trees 
of  the  forest  and  the  green  grass  of  the  fields,  were 
prostrated  the  homes  of  the  people.  Mentz,  Worms, 
Strasburg,  Spires,  Rheims,  Tournay,  Arras,  Amiens, 
were  either  destroyed  or  brought  under  the  yoke  of 
the  victors.  Trees,  planted  and  nurtured  by  care- 
ful hand,  were  literally  consumed,  and  the  fields 
literally  wasted ;  while  virgins  and  others  were  driven 
before  the  conquerors.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to 
say  that  a  third  of  the  earth  was  covered  with  their 
ravages.  Taking  into  account  the  three-fold  divi- 
sion of  the  Empire — Eastern,  Central  and  Western, 
we  behold  that  a  third  of  this  was  directly  affected 
by  the  invasion.  In  all,  we  see  a  true  resem.blance 
to  the  symbol;  so  close,  that  if  the  "assembly"  had 
been  sounded  in  words  instead  of  symbolic  sounds, 
the  gathering  of  the  invaders  should  not  have  been 
more  prompt,  or  in  better  accordance  with  the  word 
of  God. 

Listen  to  the  sounding  of  the  second  trumpet. 

"And  the  second  angel  sounded,  and,  as  it  were, 
a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire  was  cast  into  the 
sea:  and  the  third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood; 
and  the  third  part  of  the   creatures   which  were  in 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  87 

the  sea,  and  had  life,  died ;  and  the  third  part  of 
the  ships  were  destroyed." 

What  a  dreadful  symbol  this !  as  if  a  volcanic 
mountain,  blazing  with  its  fires,  was  plucked  from 
its  bases,  and  hurled  seething  into  the  sea;  and  the 
waters  were  heated — if  such  a  thing  were  possible, 
red  hot,  to  blood  color;  and  one-third  of  those  who 
lived  on  the  sea,  or  near  its  waters,  or  on  the  islands 
of  the  sea,  were  destroyed,  and  the  ships  were,  to  a 
third  part,  consumed. 

The  scene  changes  from  the  land  to  the  water. 
What  should  take  place  would  be  chiefly  maritime. 
A  mountain  is  a  symbol  of  great  strength;  thus,  of 
a  strong  and  powerful  nation.  We  read  in  the  scrip- 
tures that  the  "stone  "  which  smote  the  image,  "  be- 
came a  great  mountain, and  filled  the  whole  earth;" 
the  stone  there  referring  to  a  kingdom.  The  sym- 
bol here,  would,  then,  set  forth  a  strong  nation, 
filled  with  fiery  passion,  moving  with  impetuous  fury, 
burning  with  desire  for  conquest,  and  hurled  upon 
the  sea-coasts ;  waging  war  upon  the  sea,  and  stain- 
ing this  with  blood;  and  inflicting  fearful  destruc- 
tion. War  upon  commerce,  naval  conflict,  and 
victory  at  sea,  is  plainly  symbolized. 


bb  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

Such  a  thing  was  scarcely  to  be  looked  for  then 
in  the  Roman  Empire.  It  was  six  centuries  since  the 
naval  armaments  had  issued  from  Carthage  to  wage 
war  upon  Rome.  How  should  such  a  thing  now 
take  place;  or,  any  great  power  spring  up  at  sea,  to 
sweep  the  Mediterranean — the  coasts  and  islands  of 
this  ?  That  this  sea  was  intended  is  manifest  from 
the  scripture  use  of  the  term,  "the  sea,"  or  the 
"great  sea,"  being  then  the  Mediterranean. 

As  the  waters  reflect  objects  on  their  banks  or 
surface,  as  the  waters  of  the  Mediterranean  reflect 
its  shores;  so,  look  at  the  symbol  as  reflected  from 
scenes  transpiring  upon  "the  sea."  We  look  for 
these  in  the  next  notable  event  in  the  history  of  the 
Empire,  after  the  invasion  of  the  Goths  under 
Alaric;  and  find  it  to  be  the  invasion  by  the  Van- 
dals under  Genseric,  which  occurred  in  the  year 
428,  A.  D.  When  they  commenced  their  movement 
it  was  with  no  idea  nor  purpose  of  doing  what  they 
afterward  did.  Urged  forward,  they  passed  down 
through  France  and  Spain  to  the  sea  coast.  Invited 
to  Africa,  they  crossed  the  straits,  of  Gibraltar,  in 
boats  furnished  by  the  Spaniards,  who  were  anxious 
to  be  freed  from  their  presence,  and  by  the  African 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  89 

general,  to  whose  aid  against  Rome  they  were  moving. 

The  first  Genseric  having  died,  a  brother  of  the 
same  name,  fiercer  than  the  other,  succeeded  to 
their  leadership.  It  is  his  name  that  comes  down 
in  history  side  by  side  with  Alaric  and  others.  Ar- 
riving in  Africa,  Genseric,  turning  from  the  object 
for  which  he  had  been  invited  there,  entered  upon 
the  conquest  of  the  country  for  himself  and  fol- 
lowers. Soon  all  Northern  Africa  was  subdued  by 
his  arms,  the  seven  provinces,  from  Tangiers  to 
Tripoli,  being  overwhelmed  by  his  forces,  and  a 
government  being  established  by  himself. 

What  should  he  then  do  ?  The  symbol  is  scarcely 
realized  yet.  But  let  us  hear  Mr.  Gibbon  speak 
again.  He  says  :  "  The  discovery  and  conquest 
of  the  Black  nations  (in  Africa)  that  might  dwell 
beneath  the  torrid  zone,  could  not  tempt  the  ra- 
tional ambition  of  Genseric ;  but  he  cast  his  eyes 
toward  the  sea  j  he  resolved  to  create  a  naval  power, 
and  his  bold  resolution  was  executed  with  steady 
and  active  perseverance.  The  woods  of  Mt.  Atlas 
afforded  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  timber :  his  new 
subjects  were  skilled  in  the  arts  of  navigation  and 
ship-building;  he  animated  his   daring  Vandals    to 


9°  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

embrace  a  mode  of  warfare  which  would  render 
any  maritime  country  accessible  to  their  arms;  the 
Moors  and  Africans  were  allured  by  the  hope  of 
plunder ;  and  after  an  interval  of  six  centuries,  the 
fleets  that  issued  from  the  port  of  Carthage  again 
claimed  the  empire  of  the  Mediterranean."  Sicily, 
the  coasts  of  Lucania  and  other  places  soon  felt 
their  power.  They  sailed  to  the  Tiber;  they  cap- 
tured Rome,  and  for  fourteen  days,  the  place  was 
despoiled  by  them.  On  the  Liris,  they  were  de- 
feated ;  but  the  line  of  their  operations  was  long, 
and  could  hardly  be  defended  against  them.  A 
great  effort  was  made  by  the  Imperial  court  to  meet 
and  destroy  them  at  sea.  For  three  years  vast 
preparations  were  carried  forward ;  a  fleet  of  gal- 
leys three  hundred  strong  was  constructed,  together 
with  transports  and  smaller  vessels.  The  harbor  of 
Carthagena  in  Spain,  was  made  the  anchor  ground 
of  the  Roman  navy.  All  promised  well  for  the 
defeat  of  the  Vandals ;  but  through  the  treachery 
of  Roman  subjects,  Genseric,  guided  by  secret  in- 
telligence, surprised  the  unguarded  fleet;  many  of 
the  ships  were  sunk,  or  burned,  or  captured,  and 
the  preparations  of  three  years   were   destroyed    in 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  9I 

a  single  day.  Each  spring,  assaults  were  made  by 
the  Vandal  fleet;  all  the  coasts  of  the  Mediterran- 
ean were  ravaged,  and  terror  was  spread  from  the 
pillars  of  Hercules  to  the  Nile.  •  Surely,  if  ever 
symbol  was  fulfilled,  this  was;  the  waters  of  the 
Mediterranean  reflecting  at  once  the  Vandal  ships 
and  the  Second  Trumpet. 

Listen  to  the  sounding  of  the  third  trumpet. 

"And  the  third  angel  sounded,  and  there  fell  a 
great  star  from  heaven,  burning,  as  it  were  a  lamp, 
and  it  fell  upon  a  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon 
the  fountains  of  waters :  and  the  name  of  the  star 
was  called  Wormwood :  and  the  third  part  of  the 
water  became  wormwood,  and  many  died  of  the 
waters,  because  they  were  made  bitter." 

We  have  here  as  a  symbol,  a  falling  meteor  flash- 
ing through  the  sky,  and  coming  like  wormwood 
upon  a  region  where  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters 
abounded,  embittering  these,  even  imparting  a  deadly 
power.  Moreover,  in  some  sense,  the  meteor  should 
be  regarded  as  an  instrument  of  divine  vengeance, 
for  the  star  fell  from  heaven.  Taking  the  usual 
significance  of  the  use  of  "  star  "  in  scripture,  the 
symbol  would  display  a  great  ruler   or  leader ;    not 


92  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

benignant  as  a  fixed  star,  but  baleful  as  a  burning 
lamp.  Does  this  symbol  fit  into  anything  which 
actually  occurred .?  Was  there  any  great  leader, 
who,  about  the  time  last  noticed — coming  forward 
distinctly  and  later  than  the  other  appeared — flashed 
before  the  eyes  of  the  world,  and  fell,  like  a  meteor, 
upon  a  region  where  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters 
abounded ;  any  besides  Alaric  and  Genseric  ?  We 
do  find  that  such  was  the  case — one  whose  name 
might  well  be  called  Wormwood,  so  bitter  was  his 
course,  one  who  was  most  brilliant  in  his  movements ; 
Attila^  the  leader  of  the  Hims.  Although  his  opera- 
tions were  in  part  synchronous  with  Genseric,  they 
commenced  after  the  beginning  of  the  latter's 
career,  in  the  year  433  A.  D.,  and  were  dis- 
tinct from  those  of  the  other.  He  was  accustomed 
to  dress  in  brilliant  colors,  and  claimed  to  carry 
^'  the  sword  of  Mars,"  the  god  of  war.  His  coming 
was  like  a  flashing  meteor;  suddenly.  Europe  was 
overrun  by  his  hordes.  But  it  is  a  marked  fact,  that 
the  seat  of  his  exploits  was  the  region  of  the  Alps, 
that  water-shed  of  Europe,  where  the  fountains  of 
waters  are,  the  source  of  the  great  rivers  of  Europe  ; 
and  that  Lombardy,  a  country  of  rivers,  was  made 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  93 

to  feel  in  an  unusual  manner  his  bitter  strokes.  His 
going,  like  his  coming,  was  as  a  meteor ;  as  if  such 
had  fallen  into  the  waters,  and  been  extinguished  ; 
for  with  the  death  of  Attila,  passed  away  the  power 
of  the  Huns.  He  was  looked  upon  as  a  means  of 
divine  judgment.  He  called  himself,  and  is  known 
in  history,  as  the  "Scourge  of  God."  He  boasted 
that  the  grass  never  grew  on  the  spot  where  his 
horse  had  trod. 

If  we  could  have  put  upon  the  banners  of  Attila 
an  emblem  of  his  character,  an  insignia  suitable  to 
his  army,  it  would  have  been  the  picture  of  a  flam- 
ing comet  or  meteor ;  and  if  we  should  have  chosen 
the  material  and  color  w^ith  which  to  have  painted 
it,  as  expressive  of  the  effect  of  the  burning  star,  it 
would  have  been  that  of  wormwood.  Divine  Reve- 
lation casts  such  upon  his  standard  and  person ; 
and,  lo  !  it  is  correct. 

Listen  to  the  sounding  of  tht  fourth  trumpet. 

"  And  the  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the  third 
part  of  the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of 
the  moon,  and  the  third  part  of  the  stars ;  so  as  the 
third  part  of  them  was  darkened,  and  the  day  shone 
not  for  a  third  part  of  it,  and  the  night  likewise." 


94  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

This  symbol  shadows  forth  a  blotting  out  of  the 
present  order  of  things  in  the  political  world,  as  we 
had  occasion  to  notice  in  our  last  lecture,  in  another 
connection.  Here  only  a  third  part  is  smitten ;  so 
that  a  third  part  of  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  are 
darkened — a  principal,  and  secondary,  and  still 
other  subordinate  powers,  are  in  part  eclipsed.  If 
we  take  this  mantle  of  darkness,  and  wrap  it  about 
what  transpired  subsequently  to  the  other  events  no- 
ticed, we  find  that  it  sets,  like  a  garment  made  by  a 
master  hand,  upon  Odoacer,  who  invaded  Italy, 
smote  the  Western  Empire,  represented  by  the 
"sun;"  conquered  Italy,  denoted  by  the  "moon," 
to  which  this  Empire  was  now  practically  reduced ; 
and  overshadowed  the  less  lights,  or  rulers,  called 
the  "  stars  " — the  senators  and  consuls  and  magis- 
trates, who  were  permitted  still  to  exercise  their 
offices,  subject  to  Odoacer,  who  was  King.  For  the 
first  time  in  history,  a  barbarian  was  sovereign  of 
Rome ;  and  with  his  virtual  accession  to  the  throne, 
A.  D.  476,  passed  away  forever  the  Roman  Empire 
in  the  west.  You  will  see,  therefore,  that  this  sym- 
bol was  not  mere  guess  work ;  but  distinct,  as  was 
each  of  the  others,  it  finds  its  counterpart  in  actual 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  95 

fact,  the  trumpet  of  Revelation  and  of  the  barbarians 
harmonizing. 

There  is  an  interruption  now  in  the  sounding  of 
the  trumpets,  which  marks  a  division.  You  will 
understand  the  first  division — the  four  events,  or 
series  of  events  which  contributed  so  greatly  to  the 
downfall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  which  brought 
about  the  complete  and  final  overthrow  of  that 
Empire  in  the  west.  A  period  of  a  hundred  years 
follows  with  events  no  different  in  their  general 
meaning  from  those  considered.  History  turns  our 
eyes  now  to  the  east,  to  Constantinople,  which  after 
the  final  overthrow  of  the  Empire  in  the  west  as- 
sumed the  rights  and  power  of  its  former  rival.  It 
became  the  seat  of  the  most  marked  events,  which 
followed  thereafter  for  some  centuries ;  and  we  shall 
find  that  Revelation  has  next  to  do  with  this,  as  it 
naturally  would  from  the  order  of  historic  events. 

Says  the  apostle,  "And  I  heard  and  beheld  an 
angel  flying  (as  an  eagle)  through  the  midst  of 
heaven,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  woe,  woe,  woe, 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  by  reason  of  the 
other  voices  of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels 
which  are  yet  to  sound."      These   three  trumpets 


g6  THE    SOUNDINtr    TRUMPETS. 

are  called  the  "Woe  Trumpets,"  and  the  natural 
inference  from  this  distinction  is  that  they  referred 
to  things  entirely  separate  from  those  which  had 
preceded,  and  distinct  from  each  other,  and  greater 
than  any  which  had  gone  before. 

Listen  then,  to  the  sounding  of  the  y^///  trumpet, 
— or  the  first  woe  trumpet. — Read  the  representa- 
tion in  chapter  9  :   i-ii. 

The  symbol  presents  one  who  claims  or  seems  to 
have  come  from  heaven,  but  really  has  the  key 
of  the  bottomless  pit ;  who  shows  that  he  is  not  from 
heaven,  by  unloosing  the  forces  of  darkness  and  evil 
upon  the  world.  He  is  evidently  the  same  as  the 
"  King  over  them,"  and  was  actuated  by  the  spirit 
of  "  the  angel  of  the  bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in 
the  Hebrew  tongue  is  Abaddon,  but  in  the  Greek 
tongue  hath  his  name  Apollyon,"  or  destroyer.  The 
locusts  were  peculiar  to  Arabia.  The  symbol  is, 
therefore,  eastern.  They  were  to  have  power  to 
injure,  but  they  were  not  to  hurt,  as  was  the  wont 
of  locusts,  "the  grass  of  the  earth,"  "anything 
green,  neither  any  tree."  Their  mission  of  harm 
was  to  be  aimed  at  those  who  were  not  looked  ui)on 
as  the  sealed   servants  of  God.     They  were  not  ta 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  97 

kill  the  latter,  but  should  torment  them  for  a  defi- 
nite period ;  and  their  oppressions  should  be  of  a 
nature  to  lead  men  to  desire  to  die,  rather  than  live 
amid  such  circumstances.  The  locusts  were  to  look 
like  horses,  a  resemblance  which,  on  a  minor  scale, 
has  been  often  remarked  in  eastern  countries.  They 
were  to  be  prepared  for  battle  ;  so  exhibiting  in 
symbol  an  army  of  horsemen.  The  riders  had  on 
their  heads,  as  it  were,  crowns  of  gold  ;  and  "  their 
faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men.  And  they  had  hair 
as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their  teeth  were  as  the 
teeth  of  lions,  and  they  had  breastplates  as  it  were 
breastplates  of  iron." 

Turning  our  eyes  eastward,  do  we  behold  any- 
thing of  which  the  Fifth  Trumpet  was  a  herald  ? 
Looking  to  the  very  Arabia  whence  came  locusts, 
did  any  person  or  army  spring  forth  to  answer  to 
the  sound  of  this  Trumpet  of  Revelation  ?  In  the 
year  609  A.  D.,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  in 
all  the  history  of  the  world  began  to  preach,  not 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  but  himself.  He  proclaimed, 
in  the  year  612,  that  he  came  from  heaven;  but 
afterward  gave  evidence  that  he  was  allied  to  the 
angel  of  the  bottomless  pit.  He  opened  this,  as  it 
7 


^8  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

were,  and  forth  issued  what  darkened  the  world — a 
mighty  army  to  be  ruled  by  their  king,  and  to  follow 
him  and  his  successors  wherever  led  :  I  refer  to 
Mohammed^  and  the  Saracens. 

The  number  of  his  hosts  could  not  have  been 
likened  to  anything  better  than  a  cloud  of  locusts. 
They  were  to  be  commanded  not  to  destroy  the 
grass  of  the  earth,  nor  any  green  thing,  nor  the 
trees ;  and  in  the  Koran  is  found  the  command  :  "Let 
not  the  victory  be  stained  with  the  blood  of  women 
or  children.  Destroy  no  palm  trees,  nor  burn  any 
fields  of  corn.  Cut  down  no  fruit  trees,  nor  do  any 
mischief  to  cattle,  only  such  as  you  kill  to  eat." 
This  was  remarkable,  according  to  the  usual  course 
of  such  a  people.  But  they  should  seek  to  injure 
those  who  had  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  fore- 
heads; and  it  is  a  fact  that  Mohammed  set  out  first 
to  destroy  idolaters,  and  then  all  infidels — all  those 
who  did  not  worship  according  to  the  views  of  his 
people.  But  they  were  nbt  to  kill  God's  servants, 
though  they  should  torment  these.  The  irritation 
of  their  sway  should  be  such  as  to  lead  men  to  pre- 
fer death  to  life.  All  these  things  serve  to  place  the 
symbol  aright. 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  99 

In  the  appearance  of  the  things  symbolized  do  we 
find  additional  evidence.  They  had  on  their  heads, 
not  crowns  of  gold,  but,  "  as  it  were  "  such — what 
resembled  these,  as  did  the  yellow  turbans  of  the 
Saracens.  Their  faces  were  man-like,  bearded,  and 
not  smooth-shaven,  as  were  those  of  the  Goths, 
Their  hair  was  long  like  that  of  women,  which  was 
true  of  the  followers  of  Mohammed ;  all  giving  them 
a  savage,  and  lion-like  appearance.  They  wore 
breast-plates  of  iron,  answering  to  the  symbol.  The 
rest  of  the  description  refers  to  the  wounding,  but 
not  fatal,  power  they  should  exert. 

There  is  another  thing  by  which  the  symbol  is 
verified,  the  time  the  persons  symbolized  were  to 
torment  men.  This  was  to  be  "five  months."  In 
the  scripture  the  term  "  day  "  is,  prophetically,  a 
year.  This  use  is  found  in  the  book  of  Daniel,  and 
thus  the  date  of  Christ's  death  was  prophecied  of. 
That  it  is  so  used  in  the  book  of  Revelation  is 
learned  from  the  saying  of  Christ  to  the  church  at 
Smyrna:  "Ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days," 
this,  doubtless,  meaning  the  Diocletian  persecution 
which  prevailed  ten  years.  A  prophetic  month 
would  be  thirty  years,  and  a  prophetic   year,   three 


lOO  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

hundred  and  sixty  years — a  year  for  a  day.  Five 
months  would  be  five  times  thirty  years,  or  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years.  The  Saracens  besides  their 
efforts  in  the  east,  and  their  attempts  to  capture 
Constantinople,  pressed  their  conquests  through 
Northern  Africa,  subduing  all  this  country,  and  pas- 
sing the  straits  of  Gibraltar,  conquered  Spain,  and 
marched  upward  into  France.  Says  Mr.  Gibbon  : 
"One  hundred  years  after  his  (Mohammed's)  flight 
from  Mecca,  the  arms  and  reigns  of  his  successors 
extended  from  India  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  over 
the  various  and  distant  provinces,  which  may  be 
comprised  under  the  names  of  Persia,  Syria,  Egypt, 
Africa,  and  Spain."  The  fate  of  Christendom  was 
at  issue.  It  was  the  intention  of  the  Saracens  to 
meet  from  east  and  west  in  Europe,  and  the  world 
would  have  been  under  the  dominion  of  the  cres- 
cent rather  than  of  the  cross.  It  seemed  as  if  nothing 
could  stop  their  progress,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  sur- 
prise to  historians  that  the  tide  was  checked  and 
rolled  back.  But  Charles  Martel  met  the  advanc- 
ing hosts,  and  dealt  a  blow  which  made  the  inva- 
ders recoil;  and  not  many  years  afterward,  their 
power  had  greatly  waned.       Of   their  own   accord, 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  lOI 

they  exchanged  their  warlike  efforts  for  the  pursuits 
of  peace;  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  literature, 
claiming  their  attention.  Perhaps,  the  best  and 
most  distinct  mark  of  this  was  the  building  of  Bag- 
dad, the  "city  of  peace,"  as  the  capital  of  the  Sara- 
cenic Empire,  by  the  Caliph  Almanzor,  in  the  year 
762.  This  became  the  center  of  the  wealth  and 
learning  and  power  of  the  people.  Reckoning  from 
the  time  Mohammed  published  the  Koran,  A.  D. 
612,  to  the  building  of  Bagdad,  we  have  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years,  the  time  sought  for  the 
fulfillment  of  the  symbol :  all,  uniting  in  showing 
that  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Saracenic  power 
respond  truly  to  the  heraldings  of  the  Fifth  Trumpet. 

Listen  now  to  the  sounding  of  one  other  of  the 
trumpets,  the  sLxt/i  Trumptt.     Read  Rev.  9  :   13-19. 

The  location  here  is  definite,  the  great  river  Eu- 
phrates. The  number  of  the  army  is  given  as  large, 
to  be  reckoned  by  "  myriads,"  a  peculiar  term  in 
the  original.  The  horsemen  had  "  breastplates  of 
fire,  and  of  jacinth,  and  of  brimstone;  "  so,  appear- 
ing clothed  in  red,  in  blue,  and  in  yellow.  Fire  and 
smoke  and  brimstone,  seemed  to  issue  out  of  the 
mouths  of  the  horses,  whose   heads   appeared   like 


I02  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

the  heads  of  lions.  They  who  were  killed,  were 
"killed  by  the  fire  and  by  the  smoke  and  by  the 
brimstone" — by  these  united.  The  horses  had  not 
only  power  in  their  mouths,  but  in  their  tails;  "for 
their  tails  were  like  unto  serpents,  and  had  heads, 
and  with  them  they  do  hurt." 

We  turn  the  pages  of  history  for  the  next  impor- 
tant event,  or  series  of  events,  bearing  upon  what 
remained  of  the  old  Roman  Empire,  the  Empire  of 
the  East,  with  Constantinople  as  its  capital.  What 
do  we  find.?  We  look  to  the  river  Euphrates  named 
in  the  symbol,  and  we  behold  the  rise  of  a  new 
power;  of  a  power  destined  to  spread  far  and  to 
last  long;  one  which  did,  next  in  order  of  time, 
have  the  most  important  bearing  upon  the  history 
of  the  world — that  of  the  Turks  or  Turkmans. 

"Four  angels,"  or  "four"  powers,  are  spoken  of; 
and  we  find  that  four  were  connected — the  original 
power  which  had  established  itself  in  Persia,  and 
three  which  sprang  from  it — Kerman,  Syria,  and 
Roum.  These  were  united  just  then,  a  thing  which 
never  before  occurred,  and  which  never  afterward 
took  place  in  that  principality.  These  were  prepared 
by  conquests  to  the  east  of  the  Euphrates,  and  had 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  I03 

been  there  kept  until  the  time  before  us.  The 
army  was  to  be  an  army  of  "horsemen."  The 
"horses"  were  seen  in  the  vision,  a  predominance 
of  cavalry  being  thus  declared ;  a  thing  truer  of  the 
Turkish  forces  than  of  any  other  army  of  invaders 
known  in  history.  Gibbon  writes  that,  "  The  my- 
riads of  Turkish  horse  overspread  a  frontier  of  six 
hundred  miles,  from  Taurus  to  Arzeroum."  Again 
speaking  of  the  advance  of  the  Turks,  under  Togrul, 
he  says  :  "  He  passed  the  Euphrates  at  the  head  of 
the  Turkish  cavalry."  The  appearance  of  the 
horsemen  was  that  of  men  having  burnished  breast- 
plates, or  clothing  of  red,  of  the  color  of  jacinth, 
and  brimstone — purplish-blue  and  yellow.  As  a 
fact,  "  From  their  first  appearance,  the  Ottomans 
affected  to  wear  warlike  apparel  of  scarlet,  blue, 
and  yellow;  a  descriptive  trait  the  more  marked 
from  its  contrast  to  the  military  appearance  of  the 
Greeks,  Franks,  or  Saracens,  contemporarily." 

From  the  mouths  of  the  horses  "  issued  fire  and 
smoke  and  brimstone,"  and  with  these  they  "  killed." 
If  such  a  thing  were  true  in  those  days  that  fire- 
arms were  used ;  if  the  horsemen  were  armed  with 
horse-pistols  or  the  like,  we  should  readily  see  the 


I04  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

force  of  the  symbol :  a  company  of  cavalry  charg- 
ing, and  blazing  with  their  firearms  would  answer 
to  the  picture.  But  was  there  any  such  thing  then  ? 
There  was,  the  Turks  being  among  the  very  first  to 
use  firearms,  and  did  use  these  effectively.  But 
how  about  their  power  being  in  the  "tails"  of  the 
horses?  How  is  it  that  with  these  they  should 
hurt.?  It  is  true  that  the  standard  of  the  Turks 
was  at  times  a  horse's  tail,  or  three  of  these  raised 
upon  a  spear.  But  the  symbol  finds  a  better  and 
simpler  explanation.  If  the  Turks  used  not  only 
firearms,  but  artillery ;  then  we  could  see  in  batteries 
hurried  along  by  the  fieetness  of  the  horse,  whirled 
about,  and  discharged,  what  answers  to  the  descrip- 
tion. But  were  cannon  used  by  the  Turks.?  They 
were ;  indeed,  the  peculiar  form  of  their  cannon 
would  be  known  now  as  the  "  basilisk,"  which  means 
serpe?2t. 

There  remains  but  one  more  important  question 
in  relation  to  the  symbol  of  this  Trumpet ;  and  that 
is,  the  question  of  time.  There  is  a  period  stated,  in 
which  they  should  continue  their  career  of  conquest 
and  war.  It  is  given  as  "  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and 
a  month,   and    a   year."     Reckoning   in    prophetic 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  I05 

time  we  have  360  +  30  +  1  +  1  hour  =  391  + 
15.  According  to  the  JuHan  year,  it  would  be  365 
+  30+1  +  106  days  =  396  yrs.  +  106  days, 
Computing  from  the  time  that  Togrul  set  forth  from 
Bagdad  with  his  Turkmans,  the  year  1057  A.  D., 
we  arrive  at  the  following:  1057  +  (396  years  + 
106  days)  =  1453.  If,  however,  as  I  believe,  to  be 
the  uniform  prophetic  calculation,  the  year  stands 
for  360  prophetic  days ;  then,  counting  from  the 
time  the  Turks  commenced  their  slaughter  of  Chris- 
tians, we  must  date  from  1062,  when  they  slew 
70,000  of  these  in  Palestine.  Thus,  we  have  1062 
+  391  =  1453,  the  same  result  being  reached  as  in 
the  other  computation,  and  bringing  us  to  the  year  in 
which  the  Turks  captured  Constantinople^  and  forever 
overthrew  what  remained  of  the  Roman  Empire; 
which,  according  to  the  interpretation  of  the  historic 
symbols  thus  far,  would  naturally  be  embraced. 

Taking  all  together,  we  arrive  at  a  most  startling — 
from  a  human  stand-point — conformity  between  the 
symbol  and  thing  symbolized,  an  agreement  which 
affords  additional  evidence  of  the  divine  inspiration 
of  the  Bible. 

Even  that  which  follows;    the  fact,  that  notwith- 


io6  THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS. 

Standing  all  these  judgments,  all  this  suffering — in 
that  period  when  the  Turks  triumphed  over  Crusa- 
ders seeking  to  regain  Jerusalem,  and  which  ended 
in  the  capture  of  Constantinople  by  the  Ottomans 
who  had  early  embraced  the  religion  of  Mohammed 
— idolatry,  in  the  professed  Christian  world  con- 
tinued, together  with  murders  and  sorceries,  and 
fornication  and  thefts;  which  things,  as  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  consider  more  particularly  as  we 
progress  in  our  lectures,  were  practiced  and  sanc- 
tioned in  a  church  which  claimed  to  be  Christian, 
and  to  be  the  universal  church  of  Christ. 

As  the  "spectre  of  Brocken,"  seen  on  the  summits 
•of  the  distant  hills  by  the  traveller  who  may  stand 
at  sunrise  on  the  topmost  ridge  of  one  of  the  moun- 
tains of  Germany,  is  but  the  shadow  of  his  own  form 
projected  upon  the  moists  by  the  morning  sunlight ; 
so,  these  symbols  give  the  very  outlines  of  the 
events  viewed,  moving  and  changing  with  these. 

The  end  of  the  sounding  of  the  Sixth  Trumpet 
brings  us,  in  the  scripture  itself,  not  only  again  to 
the  lesson  of  faith  in  the  word  of  God ;  but  to  the 
teaching,  that  despite  judgments  and  sore  dis- 
asters,  men   will   go  on   in   their   sins,  will  not   re- 


THE    SOUNDING    TRUMPETS.  IO7 

pent  of  their  evils.  Like  those  who  amid  the  awful 
visitations  of  earthquakes,  as  eye  witnesses  have 
declared,  are  bent  upon  plunder  and  self-gain, 
unheeding  the  wrecks  of  homes  and  the  desolations 
of  life ;  so  will  men  be  regardless  of  the  hand  of 
God  in  the  great  events  of  history,  and  continue  in 
sin  and  impenitence.  It  was  so  then,  it  is  so  now; 
judgments  do  not  convert  the  world  or  the  heart, 
else  some  of  you  would  have  been  converted 
who  are  yet  in  your  sins.  Oh!  you  need  God's 
spirit,  and  you  need  to  look  to  the  cross  of  Christ, 
to  be  saved.  God  grant  that  you  may ;  that  the  study 
of  his  word,  the  lessons  of  his  truth,  the  evidence 
of  the  fidelity  of  this,  may  be  sanctified  to  your 
repentance  and  everlasting  salvation,  to  the  praise 
of  his  glory. 


%\t  Pi§l)to  ^itgel  anb  %  Mmt\  Crainpei 


Revelation^  Chapters  lo,  ii :  1-18. 

t^^^UR  last  lecture  brought  us,  in  order  of  time, 
5^J  to  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  to  the 
fall  of  Constantinople,  in  the  year  1453.  Notwith- 
standing the  sore  judgments  which  had  been  inflicted 
on  the  world,  a  period  of  corruption  continued,  as 
declared  in  the  last  two  verses  of  the  ninth  chapter 
of  Revelation,  and  as  is  abundantly  verified  by  the 
history  of  those  times.  That  century,  despite 
things  which  were  to  have  a  most  marked  bearing 
upon  the  future  of  mankind ;  viz,  the  invention 
of  the  art  of  printing  and  the  discovery  of  the  new 
world,  closed  in  profound  darkness,  amid  which 
the  sixteenth  opened. 

If,  as  I  have  no  doubt,  the  symbols  thus  far 
have  truthfully  applied  to  the  history  of  the 
world,    more    particularly    to    that    of   the  Roman 


no  THE    MICHTY    ANGEL 

Empire;  and  if  the  seven  sealed  scrolls  and 
the  seven  sounding  trumpets,  set  forth  the  secular 
history  of  the  race,  from  the  time  when  John 
wrote  the  wondrous  visions  given  him  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  as  is  very  evi- 
dent ;  then,  we  would  naturally  look  for  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  symbols  between  the  sixth  and  seventh 
Trumpets,  in  what  followed,  in  order  of  time,  the 
events  indicated  by  the  former  of  these. 

It  would  seem  as  if  the  power  which  triumphed 
so  signally  in  the  capture  of  Constantinople,  that  of 
the  Turks,  was  to  continue  in  some  form  after  the 
sixth  Trumpet  was  sounded.  Such  we  find  to  be 
the  case,  the  Ottomans  still  holding  Constantinople 
and  a  part  of  the  territory  acquired  four  hundred 
years  ago. 

John  next  saw  in  vision  "<?  mighty  angel  come 
down  from  heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud ;  and  a 
rainbow  was  upon  his  head,  and  his  face  was  as  it 
were  the  sun,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire." 

This  would  naturally,  if  the  historic  chronology 
were  kept  up,  have  reference  to  the  next  great  event 
in  history,  or  be  connected  with  this,  if  it  did  not 
stand  for  that  event  itself.      We  are  brought,  as   1 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  Ill 

have  said,  to  the  sixteenth  century.  If  any  thing 
took  place  in  this  which  could  have  an  unusual  rep- 
resentation, to  the  accomplishment  of  which  a 
"mighty  angel,"  mightier  than  any  heretofore  in- 
troduced, were  necessary ;  then  we  might  hope  for 
a  solution  of  the  symbol :  for  we  are  yet  dealing 
with  symbols,  the  peculiar  language — from  first  to 
last — of  the  book  of  Revelation.  We  have  been 
directed  in  other  connections  to  visions  of  "  stars  '* 
which  seemed  to  descend  from  heaven  but  really  were 
moved  by  satanic  power,  by  influences  from  the 
bottomless  pit.  We  have  seen  angels,  in  vision, 
coming  from  parts  of  the  earth,  messengers  of  the 
divine  will ;  but  here  we  are  granted  the  view  of 
an  angel,  a  "mighty  angel"  from  heaven.  That 
angel  might  personify  a  great  event,  serving  a 
purpose  heavenly  in  its  origin,  and  heavenly  in  its 
mission  and  end ;  or  it  could  set  forth  some  eminently 
great  man,  a  mighty  power  among  men,  sent  of 
heaven,  so  far  as  a  man  could  be,  for  a  blessed 
work ;  or  it  may  be  that  the  mighty  angel  was  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  in  other  parts  of  the  Bible 
is  so  spoken  of,  and,  properly,  because  he  was  "  the 
messenger  of  the  covenant."     If  the  latter   is  the 


112  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

intent,  then  he  would  be  manifest  as  coming  at  that 
time  in  an  unusual  manner,  and  for  a  special  and 
good  purpose,  to  do  in  this  way  what  he  had  not 
accomplished  by  means  of  his  judgments;  for, 
despite  these,  men  repented  not  of  their  idola- 
tries, and  fornications,  and  thefts,  and  murders. 
I  think  that  the  last  was  intended,  that  the  vision  of 
the  angel  is  a  representation  of  Christ  appearing  in 
his  providence,  subsequent  to  the  fall  of  Constanti- 
nople, while  yet  the  period  of  impenitence  and  evil 
doing  was  in  progress. 

We  look,  then,  to  the  the  history  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  that  we  may  find,  if  possible,  any 
event  which  would  justify  such  a  view  ;  the  appear- 
ance of  any  person  through  whom  Christ  may  be 
said  to  have  worked  in  a  special  manner.  We  search 
not  in  vain ;  for  almost  next  to  the  introduction  of 
Christianity  into  the  world  and  to  the  final  consum- 
mation of  things,  stand,  in  importance,  the  events 
of  the  sixteenth  century.  No  century,  save  the 
early  christian  age,  has,  thus  far,  had  more  to  do 
with  the  world's  good,  its  moral  welfare,  than  the 
sixteenth;  and  the  event  which  marks  this  as  of  so 
great  moment,  is,  The  Great  Reformation. 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  II3 

Some  have  likened  the  event  itself  to  the  mighty 
angel  seen  in  Revelation.  The  angel  may  have 
been  intended  for  the  great  character,  whose  name 
is  associated  with  its  beginning  and  its  progress ;  to 
wit,  Martin  Luther.  But  it  is  more  in  consonance 
-with  the  scripture,  and  with  all  the  features  of  even 
this  particular  vision,  to  recognize  in  the  angel  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself.  There  are  points  of 
resemblance  between  the  view  here  and  the  repre- 
sentation of  him  at  the  outset  of  all  these  revelations. 
His  feet  and  countenance  are  seen,  here  as  there, 
burning  with  fire  and  shining  as  the  sun ;  but  now  he 
appears  "  clothed  with  a  cloud,"  the  emblem  of 
mystery,  of  glory,  of  blessing ;  and  with  his  brow 
encircled  "with  a  rainbow,"  the  sign  of  hope,  and 
peace,  and  covenant  faithfulness.  He  comes  to 
dissipate  the  moral  darkness  of  the  world  with  the 
sunlight  of  his  countenance ;  to  move  among  men 
as  a  refiner's  fire,  to  "  move  in  a  mysterious  way, 
his  wonders  to  perform ; "  while  above  all  his 
doings,  and  mingling  with  the  brightness  of  his 
countenance,  are  the  colors  of  hope  for  a  storm 
tossed  world,  a  world  deluged  with  iniquity  and 
8. 


114  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

practical  unbelief — real  unbelief  of  "the  truth  as  it 
is  in  Jesus." 

The  "angel  had  m  his  hand  a  little  book  ope?i.'* 
The  word  book,  as  here  used,  is  found  nowhere  else 
in  the  New  Testament ;  usually  the  word  is  ^c[:iXtov^ 
but  here  it  is  Pc^Xapi8co\j.  The  word  denotes  a 
little  roll  or  volume.  It  was  a  "little  book,"  it  was 
"open,"  and  it  was  held  by  an  angel,  the  angel 
Christ,  and,  so,  for  a  good  purpose.  The  book 
might  have  been,  as  some  have  thought,  the  remain- 
ing part  of  the  scroll  sealed  by  the  seventh  seal ; 
but  the  peculiarity  of  the  term  points  to  some  other 
book :  and,  when  we  take  into  account  that  at  the 
time  evidently  contemplated  by  the  symbol  a  special 
book  was  anew  brought  to  the  world,  we  shall  have 
no  difficulty  in  understanding  what  the  book  was — 
"  little,"  yet  what  a  mighty  part  to  have  in  the  revo- 
lution and  reformation  of  the  moral  world ;  so  little 
that  each  person  might  possess  it,  and  all  might 
read  it;  so  little  that  we  may  carry  it  about  with  us 
always,  if  we  will :  yet  under  God  the  great  lever 
that  moves  the  heart  and  life,  that  can  move  the 
world — the  Bible.  It  was  the  mainspring  of  the 
Reformation,  the  very  first  thing  which  called   this 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  II5 

forth.  When  Luther  found  the  Bible  on  the  shelves 
of  the  University  at  Erfurt,  he  came  into  the  pres- 
ence of  the  angel  of  the  Reformation.  It  was 
exalted  by  this,  and  was  and  is,  as  has  been  declared, 
"the  religion  of  the  Protestants."  It  had  been  a 
sealed  book,  inaccessible  to  the  people,  because  of 
ignorance,  on  account  of  the  opposition  of  the  papal 
power  to  its  use  by  the  common  people,  and  inas- 
much as  it  had  cost  a  fortune  to  purchase  this  or 
any  other  book.  But  now  it  was  to  be  an  "open  " 
book.  An  Open  Bible,  was  the  plea  of  the  Re- 
formers; and  the  printing  press,  lately  invented, 
was  to  send  it  forth  freely;  and  to  bring  it  to  the 
hands  of  the  masses  of  the  people,  as  from  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

On  "  sea  and  land  "  did  the  angel  set  his  feet;  as 
denoting  not  only  the  rightful  possession  of  these, 
as  being  Lord  of  the  whole  earth,  but  as  showing 
that  the  triumphs  of  the  Reformation  were  to  ex- 
tend to  t?ie  islands  of  the  sea,  and  to  the  lands 
beyond  the  sea,  as  truly  as  to  that  part  of  the  world 
then  considered  most  important.  I  believe  this  to 
be  a  plain  reference  to  the  conquests  of  the  gospel 
beyond  the  sea — but  recently  crossed — in  the  New 


Il6  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

World,  but  just  discovered.  Such  a  representation 
could  never  have  been  associated  so  appropriately 
with  any  period  as  with  just  that  time,  when  voya- 
gers were  pushing  their  discoveries  in  the  new  Con- 
tinent, the  outer  doors  of  which  had  been  opened 
by  the  hand  of  Columbus.  History  shows  that  in 
one  century  after  the  Reformation  began,  the  prin- 
ciples of  this  were  established,  under  the  Puritans, 
on  these  western  shores;  and  they  have  here  gained 
some  of  their  most  glorious  successes. 

The  "  angel  cried  as  with  a  loud  voice,  as  when 
a  lion  roareth ;  and  when  he  had  cried  seven  thun- 
ders uttered  their  voices."  So  did  Luther  lift  up 
his  voice  with  the  boldness  of  the  lion,  and  though 
every  tile  on  all  the  houses  at  Worms  were  a  devil, 
he  would  yet  go  to  the  place  to  maintain  the  truth 
of  God's  word.  The  thunders  which  responded 
may  have  been  the  thunders  of  the  papal  "bulls," 
which  were  issued  against  Luther  from  the  seven- 
hilled  city  of  Rome,  which  made  them  seem  as 
seven  thunders.  If  so,  it  was  only  a  "  bull "  against 
a  "  lion,"  the  pa])al  bull  against  the  "lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,"  and  the  latter  should  not  be  intimi- 
dated.    What  the  voices  of  the   thunders  said   was 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  II7 

not  permitted  to  be  written ;  perhaps,  because  of  no 
consequence.  If,  however,  the  seven  thunders  were 
the  great  responses  which  history  was  to  make  to 
the  Reformation,  then,  the  mystery  of  their  utter- 
ances would  be  a  reason  for  the  sealing  of  these. 
This,  however,  is  the  less  probable  explanation,  as 
this  response  is  further  along  brought,  in  another 
form,  into  view.  The  first  is  the  truer  significance. 
"And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the  sea, 
and  upon  the  earth,  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven, 
and  swore  by  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever,  who 
created  heaven  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and 
the  earth,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the 
sea,  and  the  things  which  are  therein,  that  there 
should  be  time  no  longer :  But  in  the  days  of  the 
voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when  he  shall  begin  to 
sound,  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished,  as 
he  has  declared  to  his  servants  the  prophets,"  The 
oath  is  in  his  name  who,  living  forever,  can  speak 
of  the  future  as  of  the  present;  and  who, 
because  he  made  all  things,  has  the  authority  and 
power  to  declare  as  to  future  time.  The  translation 
does  not  give  the  true  sense.  The  declaration  is 
not  that  there  should  be  "time  no  longer;"  that  is. 


Il8  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

that  there  should  be  no  more  time,  this  to  come  to 
an  end  ;  but  that  the  ^' time  should  not  be  yet y  You 
will  see  the  force  of  this  from  the  connection.  He 
declared  that  the  "time  should  not  be  yet;"  ^^ but 
in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when 
he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God  should 
be  finished,  as  he  has  declared  to  his  servants  the 
prophets."  What  this  "  mystery  "  is  which  should  be 
finished  when  the  seventh  angel  begins  to  sound, 
you  will  learn  from  the  5th  verse  of  the  17th  chap- 
ter of  the  book ;  where  we  read  :  "And  upon  her 
forehead  was  a  name  written,  mystery  ;''  also,  from 
Daniel  7th  chapter,  26th  verse:  "But  the  judgment 
shall  sit,  and  they  shall  take  away  his  dominion,  to 
consume  and  destroy  it  unto  the  end."  There  must 
have  been  something  special  to  call  forth  the  oath 
of  the  angel  at  this  time.  It  has  been  thought  that 
it  was  intended  to  meet  and  correct  a  general 
and  strong  expectation  which  would  be  then  cher- 
ished, that  the  world  was  soon  to  come  to  an  end. 
Such  an  anticipation  did  then  prevail,  and  has  been 
strongly  felt  at  other  times.  John  Wickliffe,  the 
Lollards,  the  Hussites,  held  to  it ;  Reformed  churches 
and  the  New  England  Puritans  believed   it;  and  in 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  II9 

our  own  day  it  has  spread  as  a  mighty  faith  over 
the  world,  and  even  now  there  are  many  in  this  and 
other  lands  who  look  for  the  speedy  personal 
coming  of  Christ,  and  the  end  of  the  world.  Luther 
himself  expressed  a  fervent  belief  in  the  near 
advent  of  Christ.  To  this  Melancthon  clung, 
and  Latimer  said :  "The  day  is  not  far  off."  To 
correct  this^if  this  were  the  reference — the  angel 
Christ  would  affirm  with  an  oath,  that  the  "  time  is 
not  yet."  As  he  gave  all  the  symbols  of  the  book 
to  the  apostle  and  the  early  church,  to  lead  them  to 
look  forward  in  patience  and  faith,  to  the  consum- 
mation of  his  plans  in  the  long  future;  so,  at  this 
period,  which  was  almost  next,  in  order  of  impor- 
tance, to  the  introduction  of  Christianity  upon  earth, 
he  would  say  to  his  servants,  "the  time  is  not  yet." 
But  the  special  things  the  time  for  the  end  of  which 
was  not  yet,  was  "  the  mystery  of  God,  as  he  has 
declared  to  his  servants  the  prophets  " — to  Daniel 
especially.  With  this  mystery,  and  the  end  of  it, 
we  shall  have  more  to  do,  as  we  go  forward  with  this 
and  other  lectures.  The  Reformers — Luther  and 
others,  thought  the  papacy  was  to  come  to  an  end 
in  their  time.     Well  might  Luther  have   so  judged, 


I20  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

since,  as  a  writer  then  said:  "In  the  space  of  a 
fortnight  (after  he  first  promulgated  his  doctrines) 
they  spread  over  Germany ;  and  within '  a  month 
they  had  run  through  all  Christendom ;  as  if  angels 
themselves  had  been  the  bearers  of  them  to  all  men." 
But  the  "time  was  not  yet"  for  its  downfall,  as  we 
now  see  to  have  been  true. 

"  And  the  voice  which  I  heard  from  heaven,  spake 
unto  me  again,  and  said,  Go,  and  take  the  little 
book  which  is  open  in  the  hand  of  the  angel  which 
standeth  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth.  And  I 
went  unto  the  angel,  and  said  unto  him,  Give  me 
the  little  book.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Take  it  and 
eat  it  up ;  and  it  shall  make  thy  belly  bitter,  but  it 
shall  be  in  thy  mouth  sweet  as  honey.  And  I  took 
the  little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand,  and  ate  it 
up ;  and  it  was  in  my  mouth  sweet  as  honey :  and 
as  soon  as  I  had  eaten  it  my  belly  was  bitter.  And 
he  said  unto  me,  Thou  must  prophesy  again  before 
many  peoples,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  and  kings." 
The  little  book  again  comes  into  prominence,  and 
now  was  shown  how  it  should  perform  its  mission 
in  the  reformation  and  salvation  of  the  world.  It 
was  to  be  eaten;  not   literally,  but  mentally,  spirit- 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  121 

ually,  as  we  now  speak  of  devouring  the  contents  of 
a  book.  Hence  we  read  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel 
eating  the  roll  with  God's  word  on  it ;  and  Jeremiah 
said  :  "  Thy  words  were  found,  and  I  did  eat  them ; 
and  thy  word  was  unto  me  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of 
my  heart."  The  Bible  was  to  accomplish  its  great 
purpose  by  being  taken  into  the  mind  and  soul,  as 
food  into  the  body — masticated  and  digested,  and 
assimilated  to  the  soul,  through  the  processes  of  our 
mental  and  moral  natures,  and  under  the  power 
and  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  was  it  wel- 
comed then.  With  what  eagerness  was  it  read  and 
studied !  it  came  to  a  hungry  world;  and  was  heartily, 
greedily,  thankfully,  received.  The  world  had  long 
been  fed  on  husks,  fit  only  for  swine ;  it  was  now  to 
be  nourished  with  the  bread  of  eternal  life.  As  was 
true  of  Ezekiel,  so  of  John — as  personifying  Luther — 
the  contents  of  the  book  was  as  sweet  as  honey  in  his 
mouth ;  and  they  both  could  say  with  David :  "How 
sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  taste ;  sweeter  than 
honey  to  my  mouth."  But  it  was  bitter  in  the  con- 
sequences it  brought  to  the  bodies  of  God's  people; 
for  to  read,  even  to  possess  it,  came  to  be  considered 
a  sufficient  reason  for  the  punishment  and  putting 


122  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

to  death  of  the  possessors.  Being  received,  it  was 
to  lead  the  people  of  God  to  do  again  what  they 
had  done  in  early  Christian  times,  to  "  prophesy," 
or  preach  the  gospel — now  as  then,  or  even  more 
fully,  "before  many  peoples,"  before  the  masses; 
and  "nations,"  divided  politically;  and  "  tongues," 
speaking  different  languages;  and  "kings,"  the 
rulers  of  the  earth.  Preaching,  which  is  so  common 
now,  was  then  a  thing  of  disuse.  The  pure  "preach- 
ing "  of  the  gospel,  which  had  marked  its  early 
years,  had  given  place,  in  a  corrupt  church,  to  the 
"  performance  of  rites  and  ceremonies.  Genuflex- 
ions, crossings,  burning  of  incense,  processions, 
music,"  were  and  still  are  "the  characteristic  fea- 
tures of  all  papal  churches."  The  preaching  of  the 
gospel  had  become  "  foolishness  "  to  them,  as  it  was 
to  the  Greeks  in  the  time  of  the  Apostles;  but  it 
was  still  "the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  But 
it  was  Bible  preaching,  the  proclamation  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus,  as  this  was  taken  from  his  word, 
which  moved  the  hearts  of  men  ;  not  that  of  worldly 
wisdom ;  not  that  preaching  where  enough  of  the 
Bible  is  worked  in  among  nice  sayings  and  learned 
words  to  redeem  it  utterly  from  the  wisdom  of  man's 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  123 

speech,  enough  to  give  it  a  coating  of  the  gospel. 
The  Bible  was  not  made  the  clothing  and  orna- 
ment of  the  gospel,  but  it  was  the  body  of  this ;  and 
whatever  else  was  used  only  covered  this,  not  to 
conceal,  but,  as  in  all  true  adornment,  to  set  forth 
the  substance. 

Now  follows,  still  in  connection  with  the  great 
vision  before  us — of  the  Reformation,  a  uieasurement 
of  the  tej?iple,  or  true  church  of  God ;  temple  stand- 
ing for  church.  "There  was  given  me  a  reed  like 
unto  a  rod  " — it  was  given  to  John  as  if  he  lived  at 
the  time  of  the  fulfillment  of  the  symbol,  or,  as  if 
he  prophetically  used  it ;  and  the  word  was  :  "  Rise 
and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and 
them  that  worship  therein."  A  standard  by  which 
these  were  to  be  determined  was  placed  in  his  hand, 
which,  doubtless,  was  the-word  of  God,  here  spoken 
of  in  another  form,  and  by  which  the  lives  of  pro- 
fessed Christians  were  to  be  tested.  He  was  to  de- 
clare what  constituted  the  true  church  of  Christ, 
what  was  the  true  altar,  and  who  the  true  members 
of  the  church.  A  distinction  was  to  be  made  be- 
tween these  and  all  other  things;  and  the  latter 
were  to  be   "  left  out,"   or   "cast  out,"  as  not  true. 


124  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

These  were  themes  of  vital  moment  then,  when 
there  was  a  professed  church  which  claimed  to  be 
the  only  true  church ;  when  the  way  of  salvation 
was  connected  with  church  "altars,"  and  sacri- 
fice was  supposed  to  be  made  through  the  "mass; " 
when  a  Romish  priesthood  had  taken  the  place  of 
gospel  preachers ;  and  when,  as  it  were,  the  "  court 
of  the  Gentiles  "  should  be  full  of  those  who  appear- 
ed to  be  members  of  the  temple,  but  who  were  only 
seemingly  connected  with  this.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
these  were  the  great  questions  which  were  brought 
forth  in  the  Reformation ;  a  measurement  of  the 
things  specified  was  made.  "  What  is  the  church?" 
"How  shall  man  be  just  with  God?"  "  Who  are 
his  true  people  ?  " — were  most  common,  as  they 
were  important  inquiries  brought  before  the  people. 
Luther  and  the  Reformers  took  ground  against  the 
claims  and  teachings  of  the  papacy;  holding,  in 
particular,  that  we  are  saved  only  by  faith  in  Jesus, 
and  not  by  good  works;  and  that  experimental 
religion  is  alone  true.  But  nominal  Christians 
should  still  exist  as  in  the  court  of  the  Gentiles,  and 
they  should  "  tread  the  holy  city  " — which  Rome 
had  come  to  be  regarded,  "under  foot,  forty  and  two 
months,"  or  1260  years. 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  1 25 

During  this  time  which  is  again  mentioned  in 
another  form,  as  one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
three  score  days,  "  witnesses  "  should  continue  to 
prophesy  in  that  city,  "clothed,"  however,  "  in  sack- 
cloth," or  in  mourning,  in  sadness  and  in  distress. 
The  number  "  two  "  is  the  scripture  number  for 
co7npetetit.  The  truth  was  to  be  established  by  two 
witnesses.  These  may  be  those,  who  in  the  east 
and  west,  testified  for  Christ  and  the  truth,  during 
the  long  rule  of  the  papal  power ;  and  who  should 
continue  to  do  so,  even  though  "  clothed  in  sack- 
cloth." They  were  the  remaining  "candlesticks" 
or  churches — so,  in  reality,  even  if  they  had  no 
name;  and  may  have  been  the  Paulicians  in  the 
east  and  Waldenses  in  the  west,  who  really  began 
their  history  about  the  same  year,  and  near  the 
time  when  the  papal  power  commenced  to  assume  its 
fearful  position.  Their  fire  should  be  kept  alive  by 
oil  from  the  two  olive  trees,  or  preachers  who  should 
minister  by  their  words  to  the  life  of  the  true 
churches  of  Christ.  However  man  might  regard 
them,  they  "  stood  before  the  God  of  the  earth  ;  " 
and  were  not  lost  sight  of  by  him,  but  were  his 
witnesses,    and    should    not    be    wholly    destroyed. 


126  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

Seemingly,  and  outwardly,  they  might  be ;  but  the 
fire  from  their  mouth,  their  burning  words  of  truth, 
should  devour  the  pretensions  of  their  enemies ;  and 
the  fulfillment  of  that  truth  should  be  the  destruc- 
tion of  these.  As  God  had  said  to  Jeremiah,  so  did 
the  Lord  say  to  these  witnesses  :  ''  Because  ye  speak 
this  word,  behold  I  will  make  my  words  in  thy 
mouth  fire,  and  this  people  wood,  and  it  shall  de- 
vour them."  "In  this  manner,"  they  should  be 
"  killed ;  "  not  by  material  power  wielded  by  the 
witnesses  or  churches ;  but  by  the  power  of  truth, 
belching  like  fire  from  their  mouth.  With  the  oppo- 
sition to  these  should  be  connected  the  ills,  the 
famines,  the  wars,  the  plagues,  which  came  upon 
the  earth,  in  the  days  of  their  prophecy.  God 
answered  their  prayers  for  deliverance  from  their 
enemies,  for  triumph,  in  his  own  way;  and  while  he 
brought  forth  the  fire,  he,  also,  visited  the  people 
with  his  judgments :  yet  "  repented  they  not."  So 
that,  what  we  saw,  in  our  last  lecture,  come  upon 
the  world,  is  here  explained  as  being  in  judgment 
for  the  persecutions  visited  upon  the  true  people  of 
God. 

When  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the  testimony 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  1 27 

of  the  first  long  series  of  witnesses  should  come, 
"  the  beast  that  ascended  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  " 
— it  was  said — "shall  make  war  against  them,  and 
shall  overcome  them  and  kill  them,"  The  beast  is 
afterward  more  particulary  noticed,  but  his  origin 
is  here  stated.  Like  Mohammed,  like  the  Moham- 
medan religion  and  power,  it  is  said  to  have  come 
from  "  the  bottomless  pit ;"  from  beneath,  not  above ; 
from  hell,  not  from  heaven.  It  was  not  a  mere 
persecution,  but  a  "  war "  that  should  be  waged. 
The  war  against  the  Waldenses  is  in  point ;  that  war 
forming  in  its  record  "  one  of  the  darkest  pages  of 
history,"  when  whole  villages  were  swept  away,  every 
inhabitant,  in  some  instances,  being  slaughtered ; 
and  which  extended  from  1540-15 70,  no  less  than 
900,000  Protestants  being  put  to  death.  A  crusade 
was  proclaimed  by  the  Pope  against  the  true 
people  of  God,  whom  he  was  pleased  to  call  "here- 
tics." To  all  of  which  may  be  added  the  horrors 
of  the  Inquisition,  which  warred  against  the  saints; 
the  wars  of  Philip  II.,  aimed  at  these;  the  50,000,000 
persons  slain — from  first  to  last — by  the  papal  power, 
on  account  of  religion. 

Amid  the  1260  years  there  was  to  be  a  time  when 


128  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

it  appeared  to  the  world  as  if  the  witnesses  were 
dead.  They  had  served  the  will  of  God,  and  their 
enemies  seemed  to  have  triumphed  over  them ;  and 
their  dead  bodies  lay  "  in  the  great  city,  which 
spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,"  because  of 
its  evils  and  the  hard  bondage  it  inflicted,  and  which 
— spiritually — is  "where,  also,  our  (or  their)  Lord  was 
crucified" — as  if  crucified  afresh  in  their  death. 
As  unburied,  were  they  to  be  pointed  at  in  their 
death,  to  be  viewed  in  the  great  city.  A  gathering 
from  the  people,  or  "they  of  the  people,  and  kindreds, 
and  tongues,  and  nations,"  should  look  upon  their 
dead  bodies  for  a  definite  time — "three  days  and  a 
half;  "  and  not  suffering  their  bodies  to  be  buried, 
they  would  rejoice  over  these,  and  "  make  merry 
and  send  gifts  one  to  another,  because  these  two 
prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt  on  the  earth  " — 
tormented  their  consciences  through  preaching  the 
truth.  "And  after  three  days  and  a  half  the  spirit 
of  life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and  they  stood 
upon  their  feet."  Searching  for  a  time  when  the  "  two 
witnesses  "  seemed  to  be  wholly  overcome,  when  a 
gathering  of  people  looked  as  upon  their  dead 
bodies  in  the  great  city,  we  find  that  at  the  begin- 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  1 29 

ning  of  the  i6th  century  the  papal  power  was  domi- 
nant. A  writer  says  that,  "  Everything  was  quiet ; 
every  heretic  was  exterminated,  and  the  whole 
christian  world  supinely  acquiesced  in  the  enormous 
absurdities  inculcated  by  the  Romish  church."  But, 
a  very  definite  time  is  set  when  this  state  of  things 
should  be  viewed  by  an  assemblage  of  people.  In 
the  year  1513  a  celebrated  council  was  held  at  Rome, 
the  council  of  Lateran,  so  called  because  held  in  a 
palace  thus  named.  To  this  all  dissentients  were 
summoned,  but  none  whatever  appeared.  During 
the  sessions  of  the  council,  the  orator  of  the  session 
entered  the  pulpit,  and  amid  great  applause,  said 
what  was  never  said  before  and  never  could  be  said 
again  :  '  There  is  an  end  of  resistance  to  the  papal 
rule  and  religion ;  opposers  there  exist  no  more ; ' 
and,  '  The  whole  body  of  Christendom  is  now  seen 
to  be  subjected  to  its  head,  the  pope.'  That  coun- 
cil closed  '  in  the  splendor  of  the  dinners  and  fetes 
given  by  the  cardinals.'  'The  assembled  princes 
and  prelates  separated  from  the  council  with  com- 
placency, confidence,  and  mutual  congratulations 
on  the  peace,  unity,  and  purity  of  the  church.'  The 
dead  bodies  were  thus  viewed  by  the  assemblage 
9 


130  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

from  the  "  people,  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  na- 
tions," for  the  council  represented  the  entire  Roman 
power;  and  there  was  "merry  making"  over  the 
death  of  the  witnesses.  The  remarkable  words 
proclaiming  this  were  used  May  5th,  15 14.  Three 
days  and  a  half,  prophetically,  from  this  time,  "  the 
spirit  of  life  from  God  "  should  again  enter  into  the 
witnesses.  This  time  would  be  3  years +180  days. 
This  would  give  us  as  follows  :  Three  years.  May 
5th,  15 1 7.  Including  the  5th  we  should  have  for 
May,  27  days;  June,  30;  July,3i;  August,3i;  Sep- 
tember, 30;  and  October,  31,=  180.  To  October 
3 1  St,  1 5 1 7 ,  we  would  obtain  the  three  years  and  a  half, 
the  year  and  day  o?i  w/iich  Luther  nailed  his  celebrated 
Theses  to  the  doors  of  the  church  at  Wittemberg  ;  the 
day  when  "  the  spirit  of  life  from  God  "  entered 
anew  his  witnesses,  and  the  day  when  the  Reforma- 
tion began :  a  most  remarkable  fulfillment  of  the 
word  of  God,  of  even  the  symbols  of  this. 

The  effect  was  startling.  "  Great  fear  fell  upon 
them  which  saw  them."  The  witnesses  were  exalted 
as  to  heaven,  "  and  their  enemies  saw  them  "  so 
glorified;  which  was  true  of  the  Reformers,  who 
became  objects  of  universal  attention,  even   Henry 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  I31 

VIII.  of  England  aiming  darts  at  Luther,  and  gain- 
ing from  the  Pope  the  name  of  "  Defender  of  the 
Faith."  "  In  that  same  hour  was  there  a  great  earth- 
quake," a  great  commotion  and  overturning  among 
the  nations,  among  those  heretofore  subject  to  the 
great  city ;  which  every  reader  of  history  knows  to 
have  taken  place,  at  least  a  "tenth  part"  of  its 
dominion  falling  away :  an  earthquake,  a  commo- 
tion, attended  with  the  slaying  of  thousands.  Ger- 
many, Switzerland,  Denmark  and  Sweden,  were 
soon,  in  good  part,  turned  from  Rome,  and  England 
became  nominally  Protestant ;  and  "  the  remnant 
were  affrighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven." 
One  thing  remains  concerning  this  part  of  the 
Revelation,  the  time  of  the  power  of  those  who 
should  tread  under  foot  the  holy  city,  and  during 
which  the  witnesses  there  should  prophesy  in  sack- 
cloth. The  time  is  given  as  forty-two  months,  or 
one  thousand  two  hundred  and  three  score  days. 
This  same  power  is  spoken  of  as  the  "  mystery  of 
God,"  and  it  does  seem  a  mystery  that  God  should 
have  allowed  it  to  exist;  and  it  is  said  that  the  end 
of  it  had  been  "  declared  to  his  servants  the  proph- 
ets."    In  the  7th  chapter  of  Daniel,  the  same  power 


132  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

is  prophesied  of,  and  the  same  time  is  set  forth,  as 
"a  time  and  times  and  the  dividing  of  time;  "  that 
is,  a  year,  two  years,  and  one-half  of  a  year, 
which  prophetically  would  be  360  +  720  4-  180  = 
1260  years.  In  Daniel  it  is  plainly  revealed  that 
the  object  assumed  civil  authority,  and  grew  out  of 
the  "fourth  beast,"  or  Roman  power;  thus  giving 
us  the  papal  civil  power.  To  estimate  the  duration 
of  this  we  should  need  to  know  just  when  this  arose, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  questions  of  history, 
since  that  power  as  such  grew  so  gradually.  But 
there  are  several  events  which  help  us  in  this,  and 
I  am  able  to  point  you  to  what  I  believe  to  be  a 
correct  verification  of  the  time.  In  the  year  606, 
A.  D.,  Pope  Boniface  sought  recognition  as  Uni- 
versal Bishop  from  the  Emperor  Phocas.  Whether 
it  was  directly  granted  or  not,  as  has  been  (ques- 
tioned, here  was  a  positive  effort  to  grasp  power; 
and  this  time  dates  the  "  Papacy."  Dr.  Schaff  says  : 
"  The  Roman  bishops  called  themselves  not  ])atri- 
archs,  but  popes,  that  they  might  rise  the  sooner 
above  their  colleagues;  for  the  one  denotes  oligar- 
chical power,  and  the  other,  monarchical."  This 
claim  is  represented  as  reaching  its   height   in   the 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  1 33 

latter  part  of  the  sixth  century.  Leo  I.  sought 
earlier  than  this  an  alliance,  defensive  and  offensive, 
of  the  spiritual  and  the  temporal  powers,  "in  the 
pursuit  of  an  unlimited  sovereignty."  With  the 
final  dissolution  of  the  Roman  Empire,  the  papal 
power,  "  to  a  certain  extent,  stepped  into  the  imperial 
vacancy,  and  the  successors  of  Peter  became  in  the 
mind  of  the  Western  nations,  sole  heir  of  the  old 
Roman  imperial  succession."  "With  Gregory  I., 
590-604,  a  new  period  begins."  "He  marks  the 
transition  of  the  patriarchal  system  into  the  strict 
papacy  of  the  middle  ages."  We  are  justified,  then, 
in  the  belief  that  the  ruling  power  of  the  popes 
virtually  commenced  in  the  year  606,  from  which 
time  they  called  themselves  Universal  Bishops.  If 
we  are  to  date  from  the  actual  possession  of  kingly 
power  by  these,  then  we  must  look  to  the  year 
when  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna — the  sovereignty 
of  this  and  of  Rome,  was  granted  to  the  Pope  by 
Pepin,  King  of  France,  A.  D.,  752.  Dating  from 
the  latter,  we  have  752  +  1260  =  2012;  from  the 
former,  606  +  1260  =  1866. 

I  know  that  the    civil    power  of   Rome  has  been 
repeatedly  prostrated — even  as  late  as  1848,  and  has 


134  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

anew  arisen ;  and  when  I  speak  of  the  things  which 
have  again  wrested  the  crown  from  the  pope,  I  am 
aware  that  there  is  doubt  as  to  the  year,  when  it  was 
first  worn,  and  that  the  authority  may  be  again 
gained.  But  there  is  far  less  likelihood  of  it 
now  than  heretofore,  and  there  is  a  combination 
of  circumstances  which  would  lead  us  to  believe 
that  the  end  has  come  which  the  prophets  fore- 
told, and  which  Christ  pictured  in  the  revelation 
he  gave.  A  few  years  ago,  a  war  occurred  in 
Europe  which  had  direct  bearing  upon  the  papal 
power.  Austria,  the  chief  friend  and  support  of 
Rome,  armed  against  Prussia,  the  German  Confed- 
eration and  Italy.  In  one  of  the  shortest  campaigns 
of  history  the  issue  was  decided ;  Austria  was 
smitten  down,  and  Victor  Emanuel  became  pos- 
sessor of  Venitia,  and  moved  in  purpose  toward 
Rome.  The  battle  of  Sadowa  decided  the  fate  of 
Rome,  and  that  was  fought — as  the  whole  campaign 
took  place — in  the  year  1866.  Only  one  power  re- 
mained to  support  the  papacy,  and  that  was  soon 
crippled  and  humiliated ;  in  five  years,  it,  also,  fell, 
and  with  its  fall  actually  took  place  the  downfall  of 
the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope,  Rome  passing  into 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  I35 

the  hands  of  the  Italian  government.  Because  of 
these  things  am  I  led  to  believe  that  now — in  our 
day,  has  the  scripture  been  fulfilled  ;  and  that  as  we 
listen  intently,  we  may  hear, 

The  Sounding  of  the  Seventh  Trumpet. 

The  great  woe  of  the  sixth  Trumpet  fell  upon  the 
world  through  the  Turkmans ;  and  upon  the  papal 
power  and  the  earth  through  the  "earthquake" 
which  attended  the  exaltation  of  the  witnesses. 
Not  the  work  of  the  "  mighty  angel  "  of  the  Reform- 
ation produced  the  woe ;  any  more  than  the  sound- 
ing of  the  seventh  or  third  woe  trumpet,  shall,  in 
its  moral  aspects  be  calamitous,  for  these  are 
declared- to  be  most  glorious:  in  the  one  case  as  in 
the  other,  the  disaster  is  to  the  enemies  of  God. 

At  the  beginning — when  the  trumpet  "  begins  to 
sound,"  the  "mystery,"  it  was  declared,  shall  be 
finished;  the  mystery  of  the  duration  of  the  tem- 
poral power  of  Rome,  prophesied  of  by  Daniel  and 
foretold  by  the  Lord  Jesus.  Not  that  the  spiritual 
power  should  then  end,  or  has  ended ;  for  we  read, 
Daniel  7  :  26,  "  But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and  they 
shall  take  away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and 
destroy  it  u7ito   the   efid,''   which    makes  manifest  a 


136  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

gradual  doing  away  of  the  Ecclesiastical  power, 
which  is  to  be  overcome,  as  you  will  see  by  the  con- 
nection in  Daniel,  by  the  saints :  "  They  shall  take 
away  his  dominion." 

I  shall  not  dwell  upon  the  sounding  of  the 
seventh  Trumpet.  I  do  not  need  to :  for  there 
is  given  here  only  a  brief  summary  of  that,  which, 
as  the  thread  of  history  is  anew  taken  up  in  more 
purely  Ecclesiastical  relations,  is  brought  forth 
more  fully  as  we  again  approach  the  end.  But  the 
grand  result  is,  evidently,  to  grow  out  of  the  Reform- 
ation, from  those  principles  which  then  sprang  up 
and  have  remained  at  work  in  the  world. 

Suffice  it,  that  "  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  "  are 
to  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
Christ ;  that  the  beginning  of  this  time  is  now  at 
hand.  The  sounding  of  the  Seventh  Trumpet,  like 
that  of  the  others  is  not  sudden,  nor  audible  to  the 
natural  ear,  nor  does  it  end  with  one  blast :  it  covers, 
we  know  not,  how  long  ;  but  like  some  of  the  others, 
it  may  embrace  scores  and  hundreds  of  years.  If, 
however,  the  interpretation  given  be  true,  then  we 
may  date  the  time  when  the  great  principles  of 
Christianity  are  to  go  forward  to  sure  and  complete 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  137 

victory  among  the  nations.  The  kingdoms  or 
nations  shall  remain  such,  political  divisions  may 
continue  to  separate  these ;  but  the  principles  of 
justice,  of  truth,  of  right,  .of  peace,  are  to  increase 
henceforth  in  their  dominion,  until  all  the  nations 
shall  be  swayed  by  these.  Civil  and  social  and 
religious  oppression  and  wrong  are  to  cease ;  all 
people  are  to  be  brought  into  subjection  to  the 
higher  laws  and  precepts  of  a  true  Christianity,  of 
the  Bible,  of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ. 

Then  cometh  the  judgment  and  "  the  time  of  the 
dead  that  they  should  be  judged ;  "  then  shall  be 
"  given  reward  unto  God's  servants,  the  prophets 
and  to  the  saints,  and  them  that  fear  his  name,  both 
small  and  great ;  "  then,  also,  "  shall  be  destroyed 
them  which  destroy  the  earth." 

With  the  1 8th  verse  of  the  nth  chapter,  properly 
ends  the  connection;  with  the  19th  verse,  a  retracing 
of  steps  takes  place. 

I  point  you,  again,  to  the  argument,  the  evidence 
in  favor  of  the  truthfulness  of  God's  word.  We 
have  a  cumulative  argument,  for  the  evidence  piles 
itself  up  in  favor  of  the  Divine  inspiration  of 
the  scriptures.     Can  you  resist  it.?     If  the  Bible  is 


13^  THE    MIGHTY    ANGEL 

true  in  these  things,  is  it  not  equally  true  in  all  that 
it  -declares  about  you  ?  concerning  your  con- 
dition as  sinners?  your  need  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  your  atoning  and  all-sufficient,  and  only, 
and  living  Savior  ?  Is  it  not  true  that  you  must 
repent  or  you  shall  perish,  with  all  the  enemies  of 
our  God  and  of  his  Christ  ?  that  you  must  believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  your  hearts  to  the  saving 
change  of  these  ?  and  that  if  you  believe  not,  you 
shall  be  lost,  shall  be  "  damned  ?  " 

O  ye  people  of  God,  rejoice,  for  now  is  your  sal- 
vation nigher  than  when  you  believed.  Behold  our 
work  now,  as  victory  is  promised — to  go  forth  with 
moral  weapons  to  the  conquest  and  salvation  of  the 
world,  for  our  God  and  his  Christ.  We  are  entered 
upon  the  last  days,  the  consummation  days  of  history^ 
of  all  time,  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God. 
Triumphs  surpassing  those  of  its  early  days,  and  of 
the  Reformation,  are  before  us;  unsullied  now  by 
the  mistakes  then  made  by  professed  Christians,  in 
making  Christianity  a  temporal  power,  and  in  linking 
together  church  and  state  :  all  the  spirit  of  the  time 
is  against  these  errors,  and  the  true  church  itself  is 
opposed  to  them.     We  are  entered  upon  triumphs 


AND    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET.  139 

which  shall  not  give  way  to  disasters,  for  our  God 
"shall  reign  forever  and  ever." 

All  heaven  rejoices:  especially  the  "four  and 
twenty  elders,"  the  representatives  of  the  church 
in  heaven,  "which  sat  before  God,"  do  now  fall  upon 
their  faces  and  "worship  God,"  saying:  "We  give 
thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  art,  and 
wast  and  art  to  come ;  because  thou  hast  taken  to 
thee  thy  great  power,  and  hast  reigned." 

The  dominion  of  truth  has  commenced.  We,  on 
the  earth,  thank  and  worship  God  for  it.  Be  the 
heart  inspired  for  the  victory  to  be  gained.  Press 
forward  the  lines  of  Immanuel!  With  spiritual 
weapons  let  us  subdue  the  world  to  Christ!  Nerve 
every  arm  for  action ;  and  be  it  our  prayer — 

"  Fly  abroad  thou  mighty  gospel, 
Win  and  conquer,  never  cease  ; 
Let  thy  lasting,  wide  dominion, 
Multiply  and  still  increase." 


VI. 

®lje  Glorious  Wimm  anb  Marring  ^rasts. 

Revelation,  Chapters  ii :  ig.      12,  ij. 

ff-S^HERE  is  in  the  portion  of  the  book  of  Reve- 
if0_^  lation  which  this  lecture  covers,  a  grand 
grouping  of  visions,  of  symbolic  representations. 
It  is  vastly  comprehensive.  It  goes  back,  and  while 
the  symbols  are  linked  to  those  we  have  already 
viewed,  they  present  most  prominently  events  in 
^ecclesiastical  history ;  they  have  to  do  with  the  church 
peculiarly,  with  the  church  true  and  the  church 
false;  with  the  "woman,"  the  true  church  of  Christ; 
the  "beast,"  the  false  church.  There  is,  also,  a 
reaching  forward  to  the  ultimate  condition  of  things. 
We  shall  find  that  for  the  second,  out  of  three  times, 
is  the  end  of  all  things  touched  upon,  as  if  the  Lord 
Jesus  would  keep  this  before  his  people  for  their 
consolation  and  support  amid  all  the  trials  and  suf- 
ferings of  life  and  of   history.       The   first   time,  as 


142  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

we  saw  in  our  last  lecture,  the  end  of  all  history 
from  a  civil  or  political  stand-point  was  represented, 
"  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  "  becoming  "  the 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ."  In  the  com- 
])rehensive  summary  of  the  ecclesiastical  history  of 
the  Christian  centuries,  which  is  next  given  to  us, 
we  are  taken  onward,  in  thought,  to  the  time  when 
the  reapers  shall  go  forth  to  gather  from  the  pro- 
fessed church  of  Christ,  and  from  the  world,  all  his 
true  people,  according  to  his  own  declarations  when 
upon  earth ;  and  the  angel  of  justice  and  destruc- 
tion shall  collect  for  the  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of 
God  all  that  offend  in  his  kingdom.  Subsequently, 
after  some  more  specific  representations  of  things 
already  in  part  declared,  the  end  of  the  world,  in 
all  its  moral  bearings,  is  symbolized.  When  I  say, 
"end  of  the  world,  end  of  all  things,"  I  do  not 
mean  that  the  world  is  necessarily  to  be  stripped  of 
all  people  and  literally  destroyed  ;  but  there  is  to  be 
a  close  of  that  order  of  things  which  has  prevailed 
from  the  beginning,  an  end  of  the  mixed  condition 
of  human  life  and  of  the  forces  working  upon  earth. 
I.  The  time  set  forth  by  the  first  vision  pictured 
in  the  12th  chapter  is,  evidently,  an  early  age.  This 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  I43 

is  manifest  from  a  figure,  partially  the  same  as  that 
given  when  first  the  "door  was  opened  in  heaven," 
and  the  historic  visions  were  about  to  commence. 
Moreover,  the  symbol  of  the  "  dragon  "  would  have 
force  peculiarly  in  the  second  and  third  centuries 
and  onward.  It  came  to  be  in  the  second  century, 
more  particularly  in  the  third,  and  for  sometime 
afterward,  the  Roman  ensign,  being  connected  with 
the  "Eagle." 

As  the  "  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven, 
there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testa- 
ment :  and  there  were  lightnings,  and  voices,  and 
thunderings,  and  an  earthquake,  and  great  hail." 
We  see  disclosed  in  the  vision  the  moral  worlds  and 
the  church  of  Christy  the  repository  of  the  word  of 
God,  as  the  tabernacle  and  temple  contained,  within 
the  ark,  the  tables  of  the  testament  inscribed  with 
the  law  of  God.  We  behold  that  world  at  a  time 
when  the  lightnings  were  flashing,  the  thunders 
were  rolling,  the  voices  were  speaking,  the  earth- 
quake was  trembling,  and  the  great  hail  was  beating 
down ;  which  things  have  already  been  exhibited  in 
connection  with  the  history  of  the  Roman  Empire. 
The  time,  withal,  is  before  the   commencement^of 


144  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

the  period  of  1260  years  which  we  computed  in  our 
last  lecture. 

Our  attention  is  now  especially  attracted  to  the 
church  of  Christ  A  "  great  wonder  "  or  "  sign  ap- 
peared in  heaven,"  in  the  moral  world;  "a  woman 
clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet, 
and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars."  This 
figure  of  a  woman  is  a  familiar  embodiment  of  the 
church  of  God  in  the  Bible,  and  was  before  this  time 
thus  spoken  of:  "  Who  is  she  that  looketh  forth  as  the 
morning,  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and 
terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.''  "  She  is  clothed 
with  the  sunlight  of  truth,  and  reflects  that  truth  to 
the  world,  the  reflection  being  from  under  her  feet 
and  shining  as  from  the  twelve  apostles,  who  are  as 
a  crown  of  stars  about  her  brow.  As  she  appears, 
she  is  not  the  infant  church ;  she  is  a  woma7i. 

What  was  then  connected  with  her  and  what 
followed,  has  been  explained  as  portraying  the  birth 
of  Christ,  as  the  son  born  unto  God's  people,  the 
"  child  "  given  to  the  world,  on  whose  "  shoulders  " 
should  rest  "tha  government,"  and  who  was  soon 
caught  up  to  the  throne  of  God,  beyond  the  reach 
of  his  enemies    that   early    endeavored   to    destroy 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  I45 

him — that,  in  the  person  of  Herod,  sought  the 
young  child,  to  kill  him.  If  the  church  could  be 
said  to  be  the  mother  of  Christ,  this  would  be  most 
beautifully  and  truly  represented  by  the  figure 
before  us;  but  Christ  is  rather  the  source  of  the 
church,  the  head  and  "husband  "  of  this,  than  the 
child:  and  the  things  seen  were  to  be  "hereafter," 
however  soon.  I  do  not  say  positively  that  this  is 
not  the  intent  of  the  figure ;  only,  I  think  not. 
This  has  been  interpreted  as  embodying  a  time  of 
increase  in  the  church,  when  this  should  be  multi- 
plied ;  but  this  explanation  does  not  so  fully  answer 
all  the  features  of  the  symbol  as  still  another  inter- 
pretation I  give  to  you. 

From  all  the  circumstances,  it  seems  to  me  that 
the  symbol  sets  forth  the  church  at  a  time  when 
there  should  be  earnest,  painful  cries  to  know  the 
truths  to  bring  forth  the  word  of  God. 

There  is  a  two-fold  delineation  of  a  long  general 
period,  the  two  features  akin  as  bringing  the  church 
of  God  to  that  era  when  this  should  fly,  as  a  hunted 
woman,  into  the  wilderness ;  yet  distinctly  divided, 
according  to  the  symbol  and  as  ecclesiastical 
history  displays.  The  first  part  appears  in  the  birth 
10 


146  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

of  the  child,  the  second  in  the  "  war  "  which  took 
place  in  the  moral  world. 

The  church  which  cannot  be  said  to  be  the 
mother  of  Christ,  can  be  called  the  mother  of  the 
truth ;  for  it  has  pleased  God  to  communicate  his 
word  to  us  through  inspired  servants.  The  child 
born  of  the  christian  church  was  the  A^ew  Testa- 
ment of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy  which  came  fully  to 
its  birth  in  the  production  of  the  Apocalypse  :  all 
becoming  the  object  of  the  special  care  of  divine 
providence,  and  being  exalted  in  his  kingdom,  even 
"  caught  up  to  his  throne ; "  and  guarded  with 
peculiar  zeal  by  his  people.  In  this  and  with  this, 
Christ  is  seen  coming  forward  in  the  latter  days  to 
rule  the  world.  As  early  as  the  second  century,  the 
New  Testament  canon  was  virtually  decided  and 
generally  acknowledged.  The  first  great  question 
settled,  after  the  time  of  the  apostles,  was:  "What 
writings  form  the  inspired  books  of  the  New 
Testament }  "  It  was  a  most  earnest  question  ;  one 
not  decided  without  travail  of  soul. 

The  Adversary  stood  ready  to  devour  the  New 
Testament,  to  destroy  the  truth.  His  form  is  that 
of  "  a  great  red  dragon,  having  seven  heads  and  ten 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  147 

horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his  heads."  This 
was  an  outward  power  through  which  Satan  acted, 
who  is  later  connected  with  the  dragon ;  working 
in  this  way  as  he  did  through  the  serpent  in  the  garden 
of  Eden.  The  power  was  plainly  "pagan  Rome." 
The  "seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,"  as  we  find 
by  Revelation  17  :  9;  the  "ten  horns"  signify  ten 
parts  into  which  the  Empire  should  be  divided. 
At  this  time  the  latter  were  uncrowned,  the  seven 
crowns  resting  on  the  "heads,"  or  the  original  seat 
of  government,  and  denoting  the  seven  forms  of 
government  which  should  there  successively  pre- 
vail: Kings,  Consuls,  Dictators,  Decemvirs,  Mili- 
tary Tribunes,  Emperors,  and  Dukes.  The  dragon 
appeared  in  "  heaven,"  as  entering  the  moral  world 
in  conflict  with  the  truth. 

This  period  is  given  a  distinct  place  in  church 
history;  and  is  called  by  a  very  eminent  church 
historian — one  of  the  latest  and  best,  Dr.  Schaff — 
the  "  second  period,"  who  places  it  between  A.  D. 
100-31 1.  It  was  marked  by  pagan  opposition  to 
the  truth  of  the  Bible  and  of  Christianity  in  general, 
such  men  as  Tacitus,  Celsus  and  Lucian,  leading  in 
that  conflict  which  brought  forth,  on   the  part  of 


148  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

the  church,  the  early  Christian  "  apologetics."  It  was, 
moreover,  pre-eminently  the  age  of  pagan  persecution. 

I  think  that  no  clearer  verification  of  the  sym- 
bol could  be  given  than  this  period  affords;  its 
different  phases  illustrating  the  efforts  to  destroy 
the  New  Testament  truth — the  child  of  the  Christian 
church.  While  the  Truth  is  involved  in  the  next 
symbol,  that  of  the  "war  in  heaven,"  it  is  not  in  its 
birth,  but  rather  in  its  vindication ;  that  birth  tak- 
ing place  as  the  first  century  closed  and  being  first 
disputed,  the  great  war  pictured  coming  afterward. 
The  twelve  stars  about  the  head  of  the  woman  form 
an  index  of  the  apostolic  age  of  the  church — already 
passed;  of  the  completed  labors  of  the  apostles,  who 
are  placed  as  a  crown  upon  her  brow,  and  whose 
chief  work  was  the  production  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment scriptures. 

If  Mr.  Gibbon  can  be  said  to  have  undesignedly 
furnished  a  commentary  on  the  symbols  which  por- 
trayed the  civil  history  of  the  Roman  Empire ;  so 
have  church  historians,  without  any  purpose  of  so 
doing,  given  expression  to  facts  of  ecclesiastical 
history  which  verify  those  symbols  of  Revelation 
which  relate  to  this. 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  I49 

The  next  scene  is  that  of  a  moral  conflict^  the 
picture  of  such.  "And  there  was  war  in  heaven : 
Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon; 
and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels." 

That  there  was  a  time  which  could  be  so  repre- 
sented, is  true.  It  immediately  followed  the  one 
just  viewed.  To  it  is  given  the  name  of  an  age^ 
called  the  "  Patristic  age,"  and  designated  by  Dr. 
Schaff  as  the  "third  period"  of  church  history,  ex- 
tending to  the  year  600,  A.  D.,  and  marking  the  limit 
of  what  is  called  "Ancient  Christianity."  The  con- 
flict could  be  said,  at  this  period,  to  have  been  "  in 
heaven"  with  more  force  than  at  any  time  before ;  for 
it  was  carried  on  greatly  in  the  nominal  kingdom  of 
God,  within  the  professed  churches  of  Christ,  among 
Christians.  Our  eyes  cannot  distinguish  fully  the 
lines  of  battle  as  God  viewed  these,  nor  can  we  say  al- 
ways which  embodied  Christ  and  his  people,  or  Satan 
and  his  servants ;  but  of  the  conflict  there  is  no  doubt. 

There  was  questioning  and  debating — fierce,  even 
dreadful  disputes,  as  to  what  the  word  of  God  taught ; 
concerning  its  doctrines,  among  many  other  things, 
of  the  nature  of  Christ,  the  divinity  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  character  of  the  Trinity,  and  the  form  of 


150  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

the  church.  Councils  were  held,  not  necessarily  of 
binding  authority,  most  certainly  possessed  of  no 
inspired  right — for  inspiration  was  limited  to  the 
production  of  the  word  of  God ;  and,  at  best,  since 
the  days  of  the  apostles,  we  have  had  only  illumina- 
tion^ which  is  not  given  peculiarly  to  ecclesiasticisms, 
but  to  the  humble,  believing,  child-like  heart,  God 
still  revealing  the  meaning  of  his  word  unto  "babes." 
Christian  men  struggled  with  the  great  truths  of  the 
Scripture  teeming  in  their  minds  and  souls,  and 
sought  to  give  expression  to  those  truths.  To  say 
that  they  made  no  mistakes,  would  be  to  say  that 
they  were  infallible,  which  was  not  the  case.  But 
they  certainly  announced  some  doctrines  which  were 
like  the  conclusions  of  science;  that  were  gathered 
from  the  word  of  God  as  scientific  statements  from 
the  realm  of  nature — statements  open  to  modifica- 
tion, in  the  one  case  and  the  other,  as  a  better, 
wider,  more  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Bible  and 
of  nature,  should  be  gained :  for  changes  of  human 
creeds  by  no  means  impair  the  word  of  God,  no 
more  than  does  the  progress  of  science  affect  the 
material  universe;  which  forever  remain,  and  need 
to   be   searched   to  be  known. 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  15T 

Following  this  conflict,  and  growing  out  of  it,  was 
the  flight  of  the  true  church  into  the  wilderness.^ 
The*  Waldenses — known  then  by  another  name — 
resisted  the  newly  acquired  authority  of  the  Pope 
of  Rome  as  soon  as  this  was  assumed — in  the  year 
606 — and  the  church  in  the  wilderness  retained  its 
belief  in  the  pure  truth.  One  phase  of  the  warfare 
culminated  in  the  announcement  of  the  doctrine  of 
"/;Tt' ^r^^*? "  by  Augustine,  which  was  clung  toby 
Wickliffe,  Huss,  and  Wessel,  who  looked  to  his 
writings  next  to  those  of  the  apostle  Paul.  Luther 
was  greatly  indebted  to  him ;  as  were,  also,  Melanc- 
thon  and  Zwingle.  Dr.  Schaff  says:  "  The  Reform- 
ers were  led  by  his  writings  into  a  deeper 
understanding  of  Paul,  and  so  prepared  for  their 
great  vocation.  No  church  teacher  did  so  much  to 
mould  Luther  and  Calvin;  none  furnished  them  so 
powerful  weapons  against  the  dominant  Pelagianism 
and  formalism;  none  is  so  often  quoted  by  them 
with  esteem  and  love."  "Augustine  may  be  called, 
in  respect  of  his  doctrine  of  sin  and  grace,  the  first 
forerunner  of  the  Reformation."  "Had  he  lived 
at  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  he  would  in  all 
probability  have  taken  the  lead  of   the   evangelical 


152  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

movement  against  the  prevailing  Pelagianism  of  the 
Roman  church." 

That  this  conflict  was  great  enough  to  receive  a 
distinct  notice  in  a  revelation  portraying  promi- 
nently the  history  of  the  church,  is  confirmed  by 
the  important  part  "  symbolism  "  has  had  in  the 
church,  in  modern  as  in  ancient  times, — by  the 
earnest  battle  still  waged  over  "Confessions  of 
Faith,"  these  standing  in  the  estimation  of  Christian 
churches  as  embodiments  of  Bible  truth. 

"  That  old  serpent,  called  the  Devil,  and  Satan, 
which  deceiveth  the  whole  world,  was  cast  out;" 
"  he  was  cast  out  into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were 
cast  out  with  him."  He  went  forth,  baffled  in  his 
other  attempts,  to  work  deception  in  the  minds  of 
men  as  to  the  truth,  and  to  persecute  the  true  church 
of  Christ.  His  deceptions  have  been  most  woefully 
carried  on ;  Satan,  who  was  unable  to  prevent  the 
introduction  of  Bible-christianity  into  the  world, 
doing  his  utmost  to  delude  the  nations  as  to  its 
nature,  and  spreading  his  deceptions  over  the  ages 
and  hundreds  of  millions  of  people  ;^  so  that  the 
larger  part  of  professed  Christians  even  to-day  are 
sunken  in  ignorance  and  superstition.    He  betrayed 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  I53 

men  into  linking  the  idolatry  of  Paganism  and  the 
rites  of  Judaism  with  the  name  of  Christianity,  into 
putting  out  the  life  and  retaining  only  the  dead  form 
of  a  church. 

The  truth  had  been  brought  forth  despite  the 
efforts  of  Satan,  and  the  triumph  was  a  subject  of 
rejoicing  in  the  "heavens."  "A  loud  voice  said. 
Now  is  come  salvation  and  strength,  and  the  king- 
dom of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ :  for 
the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  which 
accused  them  before  our  God  day  and  night." 
The  truth  was  established,  and  Satan  could  not 
buffet  the  minds  of  God's  people  with  doubts,  as  if 
accusing  them  "  before  God  night  and  day."  They 
"overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb" — through 
the  virtue  of  that  blood,  indeed,  but  by  faith  in 
this;  by  the  great  truth  of  salvation  by  grace 
through  "the  blood  of  the  Lamb;"  and  by  "the 
word  of  their  testimony,"  to  the  power  of  that  grace 
and  blood ;  and  because  of  this,  "  they  loved  not 
their  lives  unto  the  death."  Therefore,  was  the 
word :  "  Rejoice  ye  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in 
them;"  but  it  was   "woe  to  the   earth,"  for  Satan 


154  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

was  to  go  forth  into  this,  using  all  his  power,  for  his 
time  was  short,  or  limited. 

This  time  was,  also,  one  of  persecution  for  con- 
science sake,  and  dates  what  are  called  "  Christian 
persecutions:  "  these  being,  rather,  unchristian,  and 
instigated  by  Satan,  who  impelled  even  the  minds 
of  some  good  men  to  it;  so  manifesting  himself  still 
as  the  great  deceiver. 

A  general  description  is  now  given  of  the  exile  of 
the  church,  during  its  long  period  of  persecution — 
"a  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time,"  360  +  720  + 
180  =  1260  years.  Added  to  the  conflict,  many 
other  events  conspired  to  send  the  true  church  of 
t^hrist  into  obscurity :  the  incoming  of  the  Northern 
barbarians,  the  uniting  of  the  professed  church  with 
the  state,  and  the  consequent  turning  of  the  minds 
of  many  professed  Christians  from  the  pure  truth  of 
the  word  of  God.  Swiftly,  as  on  eagle  wings,  should 
she  fly  into  the  "wilderness;"  but  there  should  she 
live,  for  she  should  be  nourished  with  the  truth, 
and  the  divine  spirit  and  grace.  The  dragon  sought 
to  destroy  the  church  in  the  wilderness,  by  a  long 
continued  stream  of  opposition;  but  the  "earth 
helped  the  woman,  the  earth  opened  her  mouth  and 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  155 

swallowed  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon  cast  out 
of  his  mouth;"  as  if  the  very  conformations  of  the 
earth,  its  opening  valleys,  were  a  means  of  safety  to 
God's  people,  which  we  find  to  have  been,  in  part, 
the  case.  These  were  called  the  Vaudois,  or 
"  people  of  the  valleys;"  because  they  lived  in  these, 
here  seeking  refuge.  "Wroth  with  the  woman," 
the  dragon  "  went  to  make  war  with  the  remnant 
of  her  seed  "  near  at  hand,  which  kept  "  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christ." 

There  is  in  all  this  a  pictorial  view  of  the  efforts 
of  Satan,  who  appears  as  the  prime  mover,  the 
secret  source  of  the  endeavors  to  injure  and  destroy 
the  truth  and  the  church;  of  his  workings  through 
pagan  Rome,  and,  in  general,  through  all  that  has 
been  done,  during  all  the  Christian  ages,  to  pervert 
the  truth  and  to  overcome  the  true  disciples  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

II.  Next  appears  the  symbol  of  a  ^'beast " — savage, 
brutal,  ravenous,  blood-thirsty.  It  is  seen  rising 
out  of  the  sea,  as  out  of  troublous  times;  when 
there  was  agitation  and  uncertainty,  of  which  it  was 
born. 


156  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

A  description  is  given  of  the  beast.  He  had 
"  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten 
crowns,  and  upon  his  heads  the  name  of  blasphemy." 
You  will  see  that  in  some  respects  the  beast  was 
like  the  dragon.  The  heads  were  the  same,  and  it 
had  ten  horns;  but  the  "crowns"  now  rested  upon 
the  "horns,"  and  upon  the  heads,  instead  of  the 
crowns,  was  the  name  of  " blasphemy."  "  The  seven 
heads  are  the  seven  mountains."  Rome  stands 
forth  again,  but  the  old  power  is  changed.  There 
are  now  "ten  horns  "  or  kingdoms  in  the  old  Roman 
Empire ;  this,  with  its  seven  crowns,  or  forms  of 
government,  having  given  way  to  ten  kingdoms, 
and  upon  the  seven  hilled  city  was  a  power  which 
was  blasphemous, — a  power  which,  in  its  assump- 
tions could  be  well  named  "blasphemy."  No  truer 
nor  more  striking  description  could  be  given  of  the 
world  succeeding  the  time  of  pagan  Rome  than 
this.  The  seven  hilled  city  remained ;  and  upon 
this,  was  the  boasting  and  self-exalting  papal  church  ; 
while  the  kingly  crowns  were  distributed  among  ten 
governments.  Even  Romanists  admit  that  the 
Roman  Empire  came  to  be  divided  into  ten  king- 
doms.    These  are   given   by   various  authors  sub- 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  157 

stantially  the  same ;  as,  the  Vandals,  in  Africa ; 
the  Alians,  in  Spain;  Suevi,  in  Gaul;  Heruli,  m 
Italy;  Franks,  Visigoths,  Ostrogoths,  BurgundianSi 
Lombards,  and  Britons.  The  time  of  the  beast 
dates  from  about  600,  A.  D.  the  close  of  the  last 
period  we  viewed,  and  when  the  assumptions  of 
the  papacy  were  fully  made. 

The  beast  had  a  combination  of  dreadful  features. 
He  was  "  like  unto  a  leopard,"  distinguished  for 
blood-thirstiness  and  cruelty,  and  which  was  thus 
the  emblem  of  a  power  fierce  and  tyrannical;  "his 
feet  were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear,"  in  which  lies  the 
strength  of  the  bear;  "and  his  mouth,  as  the  mouth 
of  a  lion,"  with  which  the  lion  seizes  and  holds  its 
prey  :  thus,  the  agility  and  fierceness  of  the  leopard 
is  united  with  the  brutal  strength  of  the  bear,  and 
the  ravenous,  tearing  nature  of  the  lion. 

The  source  of  his  power  is  given.  This  comes 
from  the  same  quarter  whence  the  other — the  "  red 
dragon,"  derived  his  strength ;  viz.,  Satan.  "  The 
dragon  gave  him  his  power  and  his  seat,  and  great 
authority."  We  behold  a  mingling  of  powers — of 
the  beast  and  of  the  ten  horns,  these  working  to- 
gether.    The  ten  horns  worshiped  the  dragon  and 


158  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

the  beast.  They  gave  power  unto  the  beast  to  speak 
great  things,  and  "power  was  given  unto  him  to 
continue  forty  and  two  months ;  "  or,  the  1260  years, 
which  forms  so  marked  a  period,  in  view  of  the  oft 
repeated  use  of  the  term. 

"One  of  the  heads  "  of  the  old  dragon  had  been 
wounded  to  death,  and  the  wound  was  healed;  evi- 
dently, by  the  beast.  That  head  was  the  "  imperial  " 
authority  which  was  healed,  or  restored,  in  Charle- 
magne, by  the  papal  church.  The  beast  became  a 
great  wonder;  and,  seemingly,  an  invincible  power. 
Dreadful  were  its  blasphemies,  really  aimed  against 
God,  as  it  blasphemed  "  his  name  and  his  taber- 
nacle "  or  true  church,  and  *'  them  that  dwell  there- 
in ;  "  of  which  papal  Rome  was  guilty.  He  "  made 
war  "  with  the  saints ;  power  was  given  by  the  ten 
horns  to  do  so,  and  to  overcome  them,  as  we  saw 
in  our  last  lecture.  "All  kindreds,  and  tongues, 
and  nations,"  became  subject  to  the  beast;  kings 
should  hold  their  crowns  at  his  will,  and  the  nations 
should  own  his  authority,  and  all  the  kindreds  bow 
to  him ;  which  came  to  pass.  The  whole  earth 
worshiped  him,  except  the  true  people  of  God — 
unwritten  and  unknown,  like  the  7,000  faithful  ones, 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  159 

in  the  time  of  Elijah,  who  had  not  bowed  their  knee 
to  Baal ;  whose  names  were  known  only  on  high, 
where  they  were  "  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the 
Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

Doubtless,  the  connection  of  the  church  of  Rome 
with  the  temporal  powers  of  the  earth,  is  here  set 
forth — the  union  of  church  and  state ;  the  one 
helping  the  other,  which  union  was  to  continue  1260 
years ;  the  papal  power  to  be  upheld  during  that 
time,  and  this,  in  turn,  to  sustain  kingdoms,  at  times, 
to  have  authority  over  all  these.  This  power  and 
this  alliance  maintained  by  the  sword  was  to  perish 
with  the  sword,  was  to  be  severed  by  the  blows  of 
war ;  as  we  see  to  have  been  the  case,  in  the  gradual 
weakening  and  alienation  of  the  nations  from  Rome, 
and  in  the  final  strokes  which  have  sundered  this 
from  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth. 

I  believe  that  this  has  been  fully  accomplished; 
that,  as  I  showed  you,  in  the  last  lecture,  the  1260 
years  expired  in  1866,  or  thereabouts;  and,  with  the 
humbling  of  Austria  and  France,  and  the  seizure  of 
Rome  by  the  Italian  forces — with  the  present  wrest- 
ing of  the  crown  from  the  brow  of  the  Pope,  the 
time  set  forth  in  the  symbols  has  been  fulfilled.     If 


l6o  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

not,  then  I  am  sure  that  in  138  years  from  now,  it 
certainly  will  be ;  that,  the  fifth  generation  from 
this  shall  see  the  final  destruction  of  the  tem- 
poral authority  of  the  Pope.  But  I  judge  from  all 
the  evidence,  that  this  has  already  occurred ;  that, 
in  view  of  the  symbol  of  the  first  beast,  and  from 
the  identification  of  the  1260  years  with  its  existence^ 
there  can  be  no  question  but  that  the  coalition  which 
virtually  took  place  in  the  year  606  has  ended. 
Thank  God,  that  the  date  of  the  decree  of  papal 
infallibility  marks  the  downfall  of  the  papal  power. 
The  "Catholic  World,"  in  an  article  just  pub- 
lished, says :  "  By  a  remarkable  coincidence  the 
Franco-Prussian  war  broke  out  at  the  very  moment 
when  the  dogma  of  papal  infallibility  was  defined, 
and  immediately  after  the  capitulation  of  Sedan, 
Victor  Emanuel  took  possession  of  Rome.  The 
Pope  was  without  temporal  power — a  prisoner  in- 
deed." So  that  even  Romanists  recognize  the  con- 
nection, though  blinding  their  eyes  to  the  meaning 
of  God's  providence,  which  thus  annuls  that  infam- 
ous decree;  and  just  when  the  Pope  "exalted 
himself  above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  wor- 
shiped;  so  that  he  as   Ciod  sitteth  in  the  temple  of 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  l6l 

God,  showing  himself  that  he  is  God,"  came  forth 
the  sentence  of  downfall  burned  in  letters  of  fire, 
and  he  was  made  less  than  the  kings  of  the  earth. 
"  History  records  no  more  striking  example  of  swift 
retribution  of  criminal  ambition," 

III.  "Another  beast  "  now  appears.  This  came 
from  an  established  order  of  things,  as  from  "  the 
land  "  and  not  from  the  sea.  This  is  evidently  an  im- 
age of  the  papal  church,  in  a  phase  of  it  which  should 
continue — with  another  name,  it  may  be — when  its- 
temporal  power  should  pass  away.  The  form  here- 
brought  to  view,  while  connected  with  the  other,, 
and  having  features  in  common,  may  be  sai-d  to- 
have  arisen  more  especially  at  the  "  Council  of 
Trent,"  at  which  time  church  historians  place  the 
full  rise  of  "Romanism  proper. "  Then  was  expressed 
what  had  existed  and  been  practiced  before,  but 
now  came  to  its  full  development.  It  gave  "Roman- 
ism proper  "  "  symbolical  expression  and  anathema- 
tized the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation."  Moreover, 
this  period  marked  a  renewed  and  greater  grasping 
for  temporal  power,  on  the  part  of  the  papal  church. 

This  beast  had  "two  horns  like  a  lamb:  "   it  ap- 
peared to  be  lamb-like,  as   the    papal    church    has 
II 


l62  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

always  professed,  even  when  it  was  speaking  like 
the  dragon,  like  the  dragon  we  have  viewed.  "  He 
exerciseth  atl  the  power  of  the  first  beast  before 
him,  and  causeth  the  earth  and  them  which  dwell 
therein  to  worship  the  first  beast,  whose  deadly- 
wound  was  healed."  That  this  was  carried  out  by 
the  papal  authority  is  an  historic  fact;  that  the 
power  represented  by  the  first  beast,  was  maintained 
by  the  ecclesiastical  authority  of  Rome,  is  true; 
even  now  is  that  power  claimed  by  the  Pope  and 
the  Romish  hierarchy, 

A  peculiarity  of  its  mode  of  securing  and  pre- 
serving its  authority  is  given,  this  being  the  great 
wonders  he  should  do — the  "lying  wonders,"  the 
false  miracles ;  so,  "  deceiving  them  that  dwell  on 
the  earth  by  the  means  of  those  miracles  he  had 
power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the  beast;  saying  to 
them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they  should  make 
an  image  to  the  beast,  which  had  the  wound  by  a 
sword  and  did  live."  Thus  has  the  papal  church 
endeavored  to  secure  submission  to  its  authority,  to 
its  temporal  as  well  as  ecclesiastical  dominion. 

"And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image 
of    the    beast,  that  the  image  of  the  beast  should 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  163 

both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  many  as  would  not 
worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed. 
And  he  causeth  all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and 
poor,  free  and  bond,  to  receive  a  mark  in  their  right 
hand,  or  in  their  foreheads  :  and  that  no  man  might 
buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  the  mark,  or  the  name 
of  the  beast,  or  the  number  of  his  name." 

To  give  life  "to  the  image  of  the  beast,"  was  one 
of  the  objects  of  the  council  of  Trent.  It  was  to  be 
done  by  a  vindication  of  the  papal  authority  in  word, 
which  was  to  be  followed  by  the  persuasiveness  of 
the  sword.  Whatever  growing  discontent  had  mani- 
fested itself  among  Catholics  or  princes,  was,  by 
skillful  manipulation,  rendered  nugatory  in  the 
council.  Not  simply  old  doctrines  of  the  papacy 
were  re-affirmed,  but  new  enormities  were  produced. 
The  world  was  made  to  worship  the  old  beast,  unto 
whose  image  new  life  was  given ;  not  to  own  his 
authority,  was  at  the  peril  of  life.  The  old  did  not 
pass  away,  but  a  more  solidified  ecdesiasticism 
arose — called  forth  by  the  times — to  support  the 
former  pretensions  of  the  papacy,  which  were  in 
danger  among  the  nations. 

The  beast  had,  in  its  old  form,  favored  its  votaries, 


164  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

and  declared  that  Catholics  should  not  buy  nor  sell 
to  those  who  pretended  to  interpret  the  word  of 
God  for  themselves — the  "heretics."  The  spirit 
was  retained  which  led  the  council  of  Lateran, 
under  Pope  Alexander  III. ;  the  synod  of  Tours, 
under  the  same  Pope  ;  and,  also.  Pope  Martin  V.,in 
a  bull  issued  after  the  council  of  Constance,  to 
decree  that  no  business  dealings  should  be  had  with 
heretics. 

But  that  the  question  as  to  what  is  intended  by 
the  beast,  might  be  placed  beyond  doubt,  its  name 
is  given  in  a  way  more  familiar  in  early  times  than 
now — in  the  form  of  a  nuinber.  It  was  written  in 
the  Greek  language.  The  statement  was,  that  the 
name  should  in  some  way  be  connected  with  "  man," 
"for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man,"  or  race  of  men; 
"  and  his  number  is  six  hundred  three  score  and 
six,"  or  666.  As  you  are  aware,  the  Greeks  num- 
bered by  means  of  their  letters.  Let  us,  therefore, 
following  the  most  satisfactory  explanation  of  this 
ever  made,  take  the  Greek  letters  which  give  the 
required  number:  A^  30  +  .4,  i  +  T,  300  +  £,  5 
+  /,  10  +  N,  50  +  <9,  70  4-  2',  200  =  666.  We 
have,  thus,  the  name  Lateinos,  or  Latin  man;  there 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  165 

being  abundant  authority  for  the  use  of  the  dip- 
thong  £  i  for  the  Latin  long  I.  Upon  the  division 
of  the  Empire,  the  word  Roman  which  had  formerly 
prevailed  gave  way  to  the  words  Greek,  for  the 
eastern,  and  Latin,  for  the  western  Empire.  The 
term  Latin,  at  first  applied  only  to  the  language, 
was  adopted  by  the  western  Kingdoms.  *  It  was 
the  Latin  world,  the  Latin  Kingdom,  the  Latin 
church,  the  Latin  patriarch,  the  Latin  clergy,  the 
Latin  councils.'  A  writer  says:  'They  Latinize 
everything:  Mass,  prayers,  hymns;  Litanies, 
canons,  decretals,  bulls,  are  conceived  in  Latin. 
The  Papal  councils  speak  in  Latin,  women  them- 
selves pray  in  Latin.  The  scriptures  are  read  in  no 
other  language,  under  the  Papacy,  than  Latin.  In 
short,  all  things  are  Latin.'  If  the  characteristics  of 
the  beast  did  not  sufficiently  place  this,  the  name  does. 
You  will  see,  then,  that  the  impressions  prevailing, 
and  the  statements  made;  that,  in  some  form  the 
papal  church  is  the  true  church  of  Christ,  that  it  is 
the  historic  church,  are  set  aside.  The  true  church 
— the  "woman,"  which  brought  forth  the  truth,  with 
which  the  truth  was  really  connected,  fled  into  the 
wilderness;  and  was  hunted  and  persecuted,   and 


l66  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

warred  against  by  the  powers  of  the  earth,  by  papal 
Rome ;  and  the  latter — papal  Rome — was  the  ^^beast,'' 
an  image  verified  in  the  disposition  and  practices  of 
the  papacy — fierce,  savage,  dreadful,  destroying 
those  who  opposed  it  or  were  at  variance  with  it, 
seeking  to  kill  the  true  church  of  Christ.  If  you 
would  trace  the  history  of  the  true  church,  you 
must  follow  the  wanderings  of  the  "  woman  "  in  the 
wilderness;  those,  who,  singly  or  together,  wor- 
shiped God  "  in  spirit  and  in  truth,"  clung  by  faith 
to  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  word  of  their 
testimony,  who  kept  the  commandments  of  God, 
and  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death. 

There  is  one  pointed  omission  in  connection  with 
the  symbol  of  Ecclesiastical  Rome.  We  are  told 
repeatedly  when  its  temporal  authority  should  cease ; 
the  dominion  of  the  first  beast  being  thus  given, 
but  not  that  of  the  second:  this  is  left  indefinite. 
This  is  not  marked  by  numbers.  That  influence 
still  lives — now,  while  the  seventh  Trumpet  is  sound- 
ing. The  great  mistake  made  by  second  adventists 
is  in  naming  a  time  for  Christ  to  appear  in  bodily 
form.  He  said  of  this  :  "  But  of  that  day  and  hour 
knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  of  heaven,  but 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  167 

my  Father  only."  Notwithstanding  the  downfall  of 
the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope,  which  may  have 
encouraged  some  to  expect  that  Christ  is  now  to 
appear  personally ;  the  Scripture  gives  us  to  under- 
stand that  a  period — it  may  be  long,  shall  fol- 
low, for  the  complet'e  and  final  triumph,  by  moral 
weapons,  of  the  true  church  of  the  Lord  Jesus — 
now  fully  out  of  the  wilderness;  for  even  in  the 
city  of  Rome  the  pure  gospel  of  Christ  is  preached 
to-day,  under  the  very  protection  of  the  law  of 
the  land.  The  entrance  of  Victor  Emanuel's  army 
into  the  city,  September  20,  1870,  was  attended  with 
a  load  of  Bibles. 

There  were  "two  horns"  to  the  second  beast. 
One  of  these  I  believe  to  be  the  church"  of  England, 
the  "Episcopacy."  This  was  at  first  Romish;  all, 
save  in  name.  Henry  VIII.  broke  with  the  Pope; 
but  the  doctrines  of  the  English  church  were  at  first 
the  same  as  those  of  the  papacy.  Persecution  was 
waged  by  the  one  as  by  the  other,  against  heretics. 
Even  now  many  Episcopalians  claim  that  their  church 
is  identical  with  the  Roman  Catholic,  a  "branch  " 
of  this;  and  the  tendencies  in  the  one  to  the  prac- 
tices of  the  other  have  been  notable,  for  the  last 


l68  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

twenty  years.  At  the  late  General  Convention  in 
this  country  of  the  Episcopal  church,  the  use  of  the 
"  crucifix  " — that  peculiar  "  mark"  of  the  beast — and 
of  "incense,"  was  quietly  but  purposely  sanctioned. 
Some,  eminent  among  its  clergy,  are  ready  to  go 
farther  than  this  in  devotion  to  Ron-ie.  I  think  I 
express  an  accepted  fact,  when  I  declare  that,  how- 
ever much  the  mere  domination  of  the  Pope  is 
rejected  by  the  mass  of  Episcopalians,  the  historic 
connection  with  the  papacy  is  a  matter  of  satisfac- 
tion as  linking  their  church  by  a  visible  historic 
chain  with  the  far  past ;  and  that,  in  point  of  doc- 
trine, there  is  in  part  a  vital  identity  of  the  two  even 
now — most  prominently  as  to  the  "  grace  of  regen- 
eration "  in  the  "sacrament  of  baptism."  Canon 
Liddon  affirms  that  the  doctrines  of  the  "  Real  pres-. 
ence,"  "Need  of  absolution,"  and  of  "Reverence 
for  the  Saints,"  are  found  in  the  English  Prayer 
book. 

IV.  A  series  of  visiotis — bright,  hopeful,  far  reach- 
mg,  is  now  granted,  taking  us  forward  to  the  consum- 
mation of  things,  to  the  final  victories  of  God's 
people,  to  the  reaping  time  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ. 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  169 

A  new  song  is  sung  in  heaven,  one  of  the  new 
songs  which  have  rung  through  the  heavenly  courts  ; 
sung  by  the  elect  of  God  from  earth ;  sung  "  before 
the  throne,  and  before  the  four  beasts  and  the 
elders."  The  singers  were  pure  and  true  followers 
of  Christ ;  had  kept  from  defilement ;  were  sincere 
and  "  without  guile "  or  hypocrisy ;  were  "with- 
out fault :  "  all  having  been  renewed  by  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,  were  "before  the  throne  of  God." 

Some  five  angels  now  came  forth,  one  after  the 
other. 

1.  One  appeared  flying  in  the  midst  of  heaven 
"  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people."  This  chimes  in 
with  what  we  saw  at  the  close  of  our  last  lecture. 
The  "  kingdoms  of  the  world  "  were  to  become  "  the 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,"  this  to 
come  to  pass  in  and  through  the  spread  of  the  gos- 
pel. We  are  living  at  this  period  of  prophetic 
history,  and  may  favor  the  great  end  destined  to  be 
reached.  Revelation  has  more  to  do  with  this  far- 
ther along. 

2.  Another  angel  followed,  saying,  "Babylon  is 


170  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

fallen,  is  fallen."  Twice  was  it  declared,  as  if  the 
angel  would  say,  Babylon  is  doubly  fallen.  I  will 
not  notice  now  the  significance  of  the  use  of  this 
name  as  applied  to  the  beast.  A  double  fall  is 
spoken  of,  and  the  truth  revealed  that  as  the  tem- 
poral overthrow  had  taken  place,  so  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal downfall  should  come. 

3.  Another  angel  announced  the  spiritual  punish- 
ment of  those  who  worship  "the  beast  and  his 
image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  forehead  or  hand.'* 
This  punishment  shall  be,  the  wrath  of  God  poured 
out  without  mixture,  and  shall  be  eternal;  for  "the 
smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  forever  and 
ever :  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night  who 
worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  whosoever 
receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name."  Here  is  the  faith 
and  the  patience  of  the  saints;  that  they  believe 
the  revelation  of  the  end  of  the  evil  power,  and 
are  patient  in  view  of  the  seeming  long  delay  of  the 
threatened  downfall. 

4.  From  this  latter  period,  it  shall  be  peculiarly 
blessed  to  die  "in  the  Lord."  This  has  reference 
to  the  millenial  time,  which  is  immediately  to  suc- 
ceed the  second   overthrow   of    Rome.      We   shall 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  171 

again  notice  this.  It  is  declared  that  as  Rome  falls, 
after  and  through  the  triumphs  of  the  gospel,  a 
period  shall  occur  when  it  may  be  said  with  peculiar 
force :  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord 
from  hejiceforth  :  yea,  saith  the  spirit,  that  they  may 
rest  from  their  labors ;  and  their  works  (or  sorrows, 
through  trials)  do  follow  them ;  "  as  if  these  should 
not  be  continued  upon  the  earth,  but  be  buried 
with  them  ;  since  persecution,  and  defeat,  and  wrong^ 
should  not  go  on  among  the  living. 

5.  Then  cometh  the  end,  when  Jesus  shall  appear 
as  on  a  white  cloud,  and  the  angel  shall  say  as  from 
the  eternal  Father:  "Thrust  in  thy  sickle  and 
reap  :  for  the  time  is  come  for  thee  to  reap ;  for  the 
harvest  of  the  earth  is  ripe.  And  he  that  sat  on 
the  cloud  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the  earth,  and  the 
earth  was  reaped :  "    Christ  thus  gathers  his  own. 

6.  "  And  another  angel  "  "  having,  also,  a  sharp 
sickle,"  shall  come  forth ;  and  he  shall  be  directed 
by  the  angel  of  fire,  of  burning,  consuming  justice,. 
to  reap:  "Thrust  in  thy  sharp  sickle  " — the  sickle 
keen  with  justice — "  and  gather  the  clusters  of  the 
vine  of  the  earth ;  for  her  grapes  are  fully  ripe. 
And  the   angel   thrust  in  his   sickle  into  the  earth,. 


172  THE    GLORIOUS    WOMAN 

and  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  cast  it  into 
the  great  winepress  of  the  wrath  of  God.  And  the 
winepress  was  trodden  without  the  city,  and  blood 
came  out  of  the  winepress,  even  unto  the  horses* 
bridles,  by  the  space  of  a  thousand  six  hundred 
furlongs." 

Friends,  the  world  is  nearing  this  time.  We  are 
hastening  toward  it.  To  which  do  we  belong ;  the 
harvest  of  Christ,  or  the  vintage  of  earth  ?  If  the 
sickle  of  Christ  should  now  be  thrust  among  men, 
into  our  churches,  would  he  gather  us  to  himself,  as 
his  own,  as  "wheat  into  his  garner"?  or,  should  the 
angel  of  keen  justice  cut  us  off,  and  cast  us  into 
the  great  winepress  of  the  wrath  of  God.'*  These 
are  solemn  questions — solemn  with  all  the  earnest- 
ness and  importance  of  the  eternal  future. 

Thank  God,  ye  impenitent,  that  the  angel  with 
the  everlasting  gospel  is  still  flying  in  the  midst  of 
heaven;  and  is  proclaiming  pardon,  peace,  hope, 
and  safety,  to  all  who  do  repent,  and  in  their  hearts 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thank  God, 
that  there  is  still  hope  for  you;  and  see  to  it,  that 
your  opportunity  does  not  pass  misimproved.  Oh ! 
now  hear  and  obey  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God. 


AND    WARRING    BEASTS.  1 73 

I  urge  you  by  all  the  lessons  of  history ;  by  all 
the  teachings  and  warnings,  the  revealings  and 
promises  of  the  word  of  God;  by  all  the  hopes  of 
the  gospel,  to  make  your  peace  with  God,  your 
"calling  and  election  sure." 

"  Soon  will  the  awful  trumpet  sound, 

And  call  you  to  his  bar  ; 
His  mercy  knows  the  appointed  bound, 

And  yields  to  justice  there." 

"  Now  God  invites  ;  how  blest  the  day  ! 

How  sweet  the  gospel's  charming  sound  ! 
Come,  sinners,  haste,  O  haste  away, 

While  yet  a  pard'ning  God  is  found." 


'VII. 

i>\}t  Mm  fast  ipiagues; 

OR, 

■  ®|e  iokn  Wmk  mb  §xtMnl  Contents. 

Revelation^  Chapters  /j,  i6. 

^^^T  may  surprise  you  that  so  many  symbols  of 
^^  the  Papal  power  are  given  in  the  book  of  Reve- 
lation. But  when  we  consider  how  important  and 
how  large  a  place  it  has  occupied  in  the  world  dur- 
ing the  Christian  centuries,  we  shall  not  wonder  at 
the  prominent  representation  of  it  in  a  book  pictur- 
ing these.  The  fact  that  this  power  should  be 
destroyed,  the  time  and  general  manner  of  the  de- 
struction are  given,  and  have  been  noticed  in  several 
of  the  preceding  lectures.  In  the  Scripture  before 
us  now,  we  are  granted  a  symbolic  view  of  the 
things  which  were  to   have   part   in   its   overthrow ; 


176  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

and  we  shall  see  that  these  greatly  come  under  the 
assertion  that  the  mode  of  the  extinction  of  its  tem- 
poral power  was  the  ''sword;  "  while  its  ecclesiasti- 
cal domination  is  to  be  overcome  by  the  word  of 
God,  by  moral  means.  In  our  next  lecture  we  shall 
see  the  reasons  for  its  entire  desolation. 

The  opening  of  the  vision  takes  us  backward,  as 
the  last  visions  we  saw  formed  a  compendium  of 
history  to  the  end  of  time.  We  shall  have  no  great 
difficulty  in  learning  the  events  foreshadowed  by 
the  symbols  now  to  come  before  us. 

"Another  sign  "  appeared  in  heaven,  "great  and 
marvelous."  Again"  the  number  "  seven  "  is  given  : 
"  seven  angels  having  the  seven  last  plagues  "  being 
introduced.  According  to  views  already  given,  the 
seven  would  come  consecutively,  or  be  so  distinct 
as  to  be  numbered  separately ;  while  the  added  idea 
of  completeness  is  advanced,  as  if  their  work  should 
terminate  something;  which  we  find  thus  far  to  have 
been  connected  with  the  use  of  the  term.  There 
is  this  difference  between  the  seven  Vials  and  seven 
Trumpets  and  Seals  ;  that  the  first,  unlike  the  others, 
are  not  made  the  basis  of  a  new  seven. 

The  term  "plague"  means  a  wound  through  a 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  177 

Stripe  or  blow.  The  seven  Plagues  were  to  hav^ 
chief  bearing  upon  the  beast,  as  we  learn  from  the 
victor-song  of  heaven,  and  from  the  place  the  beast 
occupies  in  connection  with  the  plagues.  These 
were  to  be  "  last  plagues ; "  as  if  others  had  gone 
before.  Finding  the  first  in  the  revolution  of  pub- 
lic sentiment  in  Germany,  and  the  alienation  of  the 
German  princes  from  Rome ;  in  the  wars  of  the 
Dutch  Republic  and  United  Netherlands  with  Spain 
as  the  representative  of  the  papacy;  and  in  the 
dismemberment  of  England  from  papal  authority — 
in  the  sixteenth  century ;  and  in  the  Thirty  Years 
war  in  Germany — in  the  seventeenth ;  as  well  as  is 
other  events  and  wars  which  struck  at  the  power  of 
the  Pope,  and  lessened  and  weakened  this :  we 
should  look  for  any  plagues  that  could  properly  be 
called  "  last "  plagues,  at  a  time  succeeding  the 
others — in,  say,  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth 
centuries ;  and  should  expect  that  these  would 
eventually  be  final  in  their  effects.  Many  have 
recognized  that  they  were  to  be  poured  forth  in 
rapid  succession,  even  to  the  seventh. 

The  origin  of  these  Plagues  is   pointed   out   as 
being  in  the  heavenly  world,   with  God.     A  vision' 

12 


1 78  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

of  heaven  is  spread  forth — of  "  the  sea  of  glass  " 
before  the  throne  of  God ;  seen  heretofore,  when  the 
door  of  heaven  was  first  opened  to  the  wondering 
eyes  of  John.  Now  the  clear  surface  of  the  sea 
glows  "with  fire,"  for  it  reflects  the  burning  justice 
and  wrath  of  God,  shining  from  the  golden  vials, 
which  were  soon  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  execut- 
ing angels.  There  is  rejoicing  among  the  saved 
ones  in  heaven,  especially  among  those  who  had 
gained  the  victory  *'  over  the  beast,  and  over  his 
image,  and  over  his  mark,"  and  even  "  over  the 
number  of  his  name."  They  stand  as  representatives 
of  the  church  in  heaven  and  the  church  on  earth ; 
and,  in  view  of  "the  judgments  of  God"  "mani- 
fest," in  the  plagues  to  be  poured  forth,  they 
sing  even  prophetically — as  is  done  repeatedly  in 
the  progress  of  the  Revelation — the  song  of  victory ; 
the  song  of  deliverance  and  salvation ;  the  song  of 
Moses,  whose  foes  were  overthrown  m  the  sea,  and 
of  the  Lamb  who  saves  the  souls  of  his  people  as 
well  as  delivers  the  world  of  one  of  its  chief  ene- 
mies, the  papal  power. 

The  praise  of  the  victory  was  given  to  God,  not 
to  man.     The  song  was  :  "  Great  and  marvelous  are 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  I79 

thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty :  just  and  true  are 
thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints,  (or  nations,)  who 
shall  not  fear  (or  reverence  and  adore)  thee,  O  Lord, 
and  glorify  thy  name,  for  thou  only  art  holy:  for 
all  nations  shall  come  and  worship  before  thee :  for 
thy  judgments  are  made  manifest."  Whatever 
means  should  be  used,  and  however  undesignedly 
the  agents  might  act,  they  should  execute  the  will 
of  God,  and  should  operate  in  his  providence. 

The  door  of  the  innermost  part  of  the  temple 
was  opened.  Forth  came  the  seven  angels  with 
the  Last  Plagues  in  their  hands.  They  were  clothed 
as  in  "white  linen,"  because  they  should  go  forth 
in  righteousness  and  holiness  to  their  work.  They 
were  girded  with  "  golden  girdles  " — with  strength, 
with  "  golden  "  strength — tried  and  true.  A  repre- 
sentative of  the  church,  one  of  the  four  beasts, 
gave  unto  them  "  seven  golden  vials  (or  goblets,  or 
bowls)  full  of  the  wrath  of  God,"  which  became 
synonymous  with  the  Last  Plagues;  for  it  was  in 
pouring  forth  the  wrath  that  the  Plagues  fell.  What 
a  rebuke  this  to  that  hyper,  or  falsely,  charitable 
spirit  which  speaks  lovingly  of  Rome,  which  calls 
the  Pope  "  that  good  old  man  " — falsely  charitable 


l8o  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

because  a  God,  who  is  love,  "  pours  forth  his  wrath" 
upon  the  one  and  the  other.  Note  this  language, 
for  it  goes  baclc  of  the  human  to  the  divine ;  it  gives 
us  an  inside  view  of  the  papacy,  of  this  as  it  ap- 
pears before  Him  unto  whose  eyes  all  things  are 
naked  and  open. 

Nothing  should  prevent  the  execution  of  God's 
purpose,  no  intercession  check  it;  for  no  man  was 
able  to  enter  the  temple,  till  the  seven  Plagues  of 
the  seven  angels  were  fulfilled.  The  vials  containing 
the  wrath  were  "golden  vials,"  as  Lange  has  so  beau- 
tifully expressed :  The  "  anger  is  contained  in  golden 
vials ;  it  is  so  scrupulously  prepared  in  heaven,  so 
pondered  over,  so  permeated  by  the  Divine  Intelli- 
gence, that,  as  a  heroic  act  of  Divine  reason,  it 
embodies  in  itself  precisely  the  opposite  to  what  is 
described  in  the  heathen  pictures  of  the  envy  of  the 
gods,  and  the  might  of  destiny." 

"  Go  !  "  was  now  the  word  to  the  angels  from  God 
within  the  temple — "  Go  your  ways  and  pour  out 
the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  earth." 

The  order  of  the  Plagues  is  somewhat  like  that 
of  the  sounding  Trumpets ;  but  the  particulars  are 
so  different  that  other  events  are   required  for  the 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  l8l 

fulfillment  of  the  symbols,  a  fact  which  renders 
the  explanation  more  difficult,  and  puts  to  a  fresh 
test  the  word  of  God.  Be  it  far  from  me  to  force 
an  interpretation  of  any  of  these  symbols;  to  try 
to  make  a  small  garment  fit  a  large  event,  or  to^ 
cover  a  small,  unimportant  thing  with  a  large  sym- 
bol. My  aim  is  to  give  you  truthful  verifications 
of  Divine  Pictures.  In  forming  judgment  upon 
some  of  these,  I  have  been  aided  by  the  researches 
of  others  who  have  gone  before  me  in  the  study  of 
them.  I  adopt,  in  part,  the  conclusions  of  the 
lamented  Barnes,  as  to  several  of  the  symbols  of 
the  Plagues,  as  of  the  Seals  and  Trumpets. 

I.  "  And  the  first  angel  went  and  poured  out  his 
vial  upon  the  earth ;  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and 
grievous  sore  upon  the  men  which  had  the  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  upon  them  which  worshiped  his  image." 

This  Plague  was  to  be  upon  the  earthy  or  peculi- 
arly upon  the  land.  It  was  to  come  to  a  special 
class  of  men,  those  who  "had  the  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  who  worshiped  his  image."  It  was  to 
be  like  "  a  noisome,  grievous  sore" — a  polluted,  dis- 
tressing affliction,  the  outgrowth  of  an  internally 
diseased  condition.     Asa  "boil" — to  which  refer- 


1 82  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

ence  is  had — speaks  of  a  weakened  state  of  the 
blood ;  so,  this  should  betray  a  perverted  condition 
of  the  mind  and  moral  natures  of  the  persons.  It 
was  to  come  from  within  themselves,  rather  than 
from  outside  sources. 

If  the  first  plagues  upon  the  papal  power  and  its 
adherents,  were  associated  with  the  "earthquake" 
which  followed  the  renewed  life  of  God's  witnesses, 
as  recorded  in  the  nth  chapter  and  13th  verse;  and 
if  the  commotions  and  wars  which  sprang  up  among 
the  nations,  as  the  human  outgrowths  of  the  Re- 
formation, formed  those  plagues :  then  we  must  look 
for  the  Seven  Last  Plagues,  as  I  have  said,  later  than 
the  seventeenth  century — in  the  eighteenth,  and,  it 
may  be,  in  the  nineteenth. 

Let  us  note,  then,  again  the  records  of  history ; 
for  we  are  again  brought  to  the  bearings  of  general 
history  upon  the  interpretation  of  the  symbols.  Was 
there  any  marked  event  in  the  eighteenth  century, 
connected  with  any  persons  who  can  be  said  to  have 
had  "  the  mark  of  the  beast,"  and  to  have  been  "  wor- 
shipers of  his  image } "  any  such  people  who  were 
afflicted  and  distressed ;  yet  with  a  disorder  which 
sprang  from  within  themselves,  as  from  their  own 
blood  ? 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  1 83 

The  research  is  not  fruitless ;  for  in  all  the  crowd- 
ed and  vast  events  of  the  past  few  years,  the  world 
has  not  lost  sight  of  an  epoch  which  is  still  quoted 
Avith  a  shudder  by  all  readers  of  history.  I  refer  to 
the  French  Revolution  of  1789.  Of  all  people,  the 
French  may  be  said  to  have  possessed  peculiarly  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  and  to  have  worshiped  his  image. 
They  were  the  first  to  grant  kingly  power  to  the  Pope, 
and  have  been  the  last  reluctantly,  and  of  necessity 
to  withdraw  support  from  that  power;  and  would 
gladly,  in  some  of  their  representatives,  in  the  person 
of  the  present  Head  of  the  nation,  restore  the  papal 
domination  if  they  could,  and  may  seek  so  to  do, 
although  the  Republican  sentiment  of  France  is 
increasingly  against  Rome. 

What  "a  noisome,  grievous  sore"  was  that  event 
of  which  we  speak  as  the  Revolution  of  '89!  It 
was  from  within^  and  it  brought  to  the  surface,  with- 
out curing  the  nation,  an  amount  of  bad  passion,  of 
iniquity,  of  filth,  almost  incredible.  It  would  not 
seem  to  the  mind  of  the  philosopher  that  so  much 
evil  could  be  compressed  in  human  nature,  that 
passion  could  be  so  violent,  and  that  injustice  should 
so  mark   even   human   hate.      The  selfishness,   the 


*84  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

iniquity,  the  pollution,  the  bloodshed,  can  be  said 
to  have  grown  from  that  professed  church  whose 
career  has  been  marked  by  these.  Was  France  the 
"eldest  son  of  the  church,"  as  the  Popes  have  nam- 
ed it  ?  So,  did  it  nurse  its  iniquity  from  its  mother's 
breast;  and  no  wonder,  if  in  the  frenzy  of  its  pas- 
sion, it  should — at  the  time — smite  even  its  mother. 
Despite  all  that  may  be  written  of  the  good  sought 
and  done  in  that  fearful  period,  naught  shall  be  able 
ever  to  withdraw  the  eye  from  the  "  noisome,  griev- 
ous sore  "  which  broke  out  upon  the  French  nation, 
and  attracted  and  still  attracts  the  horrified  gaze  of 
the  world ;  for  its  horrors  have  never  been  equaled 
in  the  history  of  our  race. 

No  more  expressive  symbol  of  it  could  have  been 
given  than  that  of  Inspiration,  uncovering  as  this 
does  in  a  few  sentences,  by  one  ghastly  picture,  not 
only  the  evil  but  the  internal  source  of  this  ;  and,  as 
history  then  and  since  abundantly  shows,  all  had  to 
do  with  the  downfall  of  the  beast,  of  papal  Rome. 

II.  "  And  the  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
«pon  the  sea;  and  it  became  as  the  blood  of  a  dead 
man;  and  every  living  soul  died  in  the  sea." 

This  is  a  figure  of  a  great  calamity  falling  upon 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  -185 

the  sea;  of  naval  conflict,  which,  as  it  were,  red- 
dened the  waters  of  the  ocean  with  the  blood  of  the 
slain — dead;  which  utterly  devastated  it  of  that 
power,  or  those  powers  connected  with  the  beast : 
for,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  this  Plague,  like  the 
first,  has  to  do  with  the  overthrow  of  Rome.  The 
symbol  must  find  its  counterpart,  then,  in  the  history 
of  those  nations  favoring  the  papacy  which  were 
naval  powers.  The  only  nations  of  this  character 
were  France,  Spain,  and  Portugal. 

Do  we  find  that  there  was  a  naval  conflict  follow- 
ing the  French  Revolution,  and,  it  may  be,  growing 
out  of  this,  in  which  these  nations  took  part  and 
sufl"ered  defeat.?  In  1793,  commenced  the  naval 
war  between  France  and  England,  which  lasted 
twenty  years,  and  involved  Spain  as  well  as  France. 
The  history  of  it  is  thus  stated :  "  There  was  a 
series  of  naval  disasters  that  swept  away  the  fleets 
of  France,  and  that  completely  demolished  the  most 
formidable  naval  power  that  had  ever  been  prepared 
by  any  nation  under  the  papal  dominion." 

From  the  destruction  of  the  French  fleet  at 
Toulon  in  1793,  to  the  victory  over  the  Spanish 
fleet  off  Cape  St.  Vincent  in  1797  ;  to  the  great  vie- 


l86  THE   SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

tories  of  Lord  Nelson  at  the  Nile  in  1798,  at  Copen- 
hagen in  1 80 1,  and  of  Trafalgar  in  1805;  and, 
onward  :  in  all  of  which  engagements  were  destroyed 
some  two  hundred  ships  of  the  line,  some  three  or 
four  hundred  frigates,  and  a  large  number  of  small 
vessels  of  war  and  commerce, — from  these,  is 
formed  a  reality  of  which  the  symbol  of  the  Second 
Plague  is  a  faithful  reflection.  And  by  as  much  as 
it  weakened  the  power  of  the  nations  which  sup- 
ported the  Pope,  by  so  much  did  it  further  the 
overthrow  of  his  temporal  dominion.  It  has  been 
truly  declared  of  this  time,  *  that  the  whole  history 
of  the  world  does  not  present  such  a  period  of  naval 
war,  destruction  and  bloodshed.' 

III.  "And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters;  and  they 
became  blood.  And  I  heard  the  angel  of  waters  " 
— it  may  have  been,  the  angel  which  sounded  the 
third  Trumpet — "  say,  thou  art  righteous,  O  Lord, 
which  art,  and  wast,  and  shall  be,  because  thou  hast 
judged  thus.  For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of 
saints  and  prophets,  and  thou  hast  given  them  blood 
to  drink;  for  they  are  worthy."  The  word  was 
approved  in  heaven,  for  John  "  heard  another  out 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  187 

of  the  altar  say,  Even  so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true 
and  righteous  are  thy  judgments." 

The  scene  changes  to  "  the  rivers  and  fountains 
of  waters^''  as  at  the  sounding  of  the  Third  Trum- 
pet. If  that  interpretation  was  correct,  then  we 
should  look  to  a  similar  region  for  the  fulfillment  of 
this  symbol ;  most  exactingly,  we  should  turn  to  the 
same  quarter  for  its  realization.  The  waters  should 
be,  as  it  were,  reddened  with  blood.  The  place 
should  be  associated  with  scenes  of  suffering  in 
the  past,  an  angel  recalling  that  in  this  very  territory 
had  been  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets,  or 
preachers  of  the  gospel ;  so  that  for  bloodshed  to 
take  place  here,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  inflict  injury 
upon  the  guilty  beast,  and  to  aid  in  his  overthrow, 
would  embody  the  judgments  of  God  upon  a  people 
deserving  of  such. 

In  connection  with  the  Third  Trumpet  we  saw 
that  the  region  of  "the  rivers  and  fountains  of 
waters  "  was  that  of  the  Alps  and  Northern  Italy ; 
where,  in  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  the  Waldenses 
and  Albigenses  suffered  so  fearfully  from  the  "  beast." 
If  this  country  was  distinguished  for  any  bloody 
events  succeeding  the  French  Revolution — it  may 


l88  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

be,  growing  out  of  this;  by  any  events  which  had 
bearing  upon  that  old  persecuting  power,  then  the 
portrait  finds  its  reality;  and  placing  them  side  by 
side,  we  see  the  features  to  be  the  same,  the  one  the 
picture  of  the  other. 

Just  such  events  did  follow  the  French  Revolu- 
tion, in  the  invasion  of  Italy  under  Napoleon.  That 
series  of  brilliant  and  bloody  victories  which  marked 
the  opening  of  his  career,  which  gave  him  a  name, 
and  disclosed  to  his  eyes  the  possibilities  of  a  great 
destiny,  took  place  in  Northern  Italy,  where  are 
"the  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters."  In  Piedmont, 
in  Lombardy,  over  the  width  of  Italy,  extended  the 
triumphs  of  the  French  arms,  in  a  campaign  re- 
corded as  one  of  the  most  memorable  in  history. 
The  rivers  were,  indeed,  colored  with  blood,  as  at 
the  terrible  charge  at  the  bridge  of  Lodi,  and  at 
other  places  along  the  Po  and  its  tributaries ;  of  the 
influence  of  the  first  of  which  events  on  his  own 
mind.  Napoleon  afterward  said:  "  The'i3th  Ven- 
demiaire,  and  the  victory  of  Montenotte  did  not 
induce  me  to  believe  myself  a  superior  character. 
It  was  after  the  passage  of  Lodi  that  the  idea  shot 
across  my  mind  that  I  might  become  a  decisive  ac- 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  189 

tor  on  the  political  theatre.  Then  arose,  for  the 
first  time,  the  spark  of  great  ambition."  He  imme- 
diately and  thereafter  acted  according  to  this. 

But  all  the  bloodshed  of  the  campaign  of  '96  was 
attended  with  another  thing,  which  completes  the 
verification  of  the  symbol — the  revolutionizing  of 
public  sentiment  in  Italy,  by  means  of  clubs  organ- 
ized in  the  cities.  The  seed  was  sown  which 
ripened  in  hostility  to  the  papal  power,  and  has 
continued  to  grow;  manifesting  itself,  again  and 
again,  as  under  Mazzini  and  Garibaldi  over  twenty 
years  ago,  and  now  in  the  occupation  of  Rome  by 
Victor  Emanuel,  followed  by  the  expressed  assent 
of  its  citizens. 

IV.  "And  the  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  sun;  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to 
scorch  men  with  fire.  And  men  were  scorched  with 
great  heat,  and  blasphemed  the  name  of  God,  which 
hath  power  over  these  plagues:  and  they  repented 
not  to  give  him  glory." 

Here  the  picture  of  a  sim  is  presented.  We  have 
seen  such  to  refer  heretofore  to  a  great  ruling  power. 
A  sun  was  to  arise  to  whom  great  power  should  be 
given,  to  scorch  men  with  fire — in  some  form  with 


190  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

this  ;  "and  men  were  scorched  (or  burned)  with  great 
heat;"  so  great  should  be  his  blighting  influence 
that  men  should  blaspheme  the  name  of  God  for 
permitting  such  to  prevail,  yet  would  continue  in 
impenitence. 

I  have  already  spoken  a  name  which  appears  in 
the  annals  of  French  history,  humbly  during  the 
Revolution,  but  raised  like  a  star  into  the  firmament 
by  the  Italian  campaign — the  name  of  Napoleon : 
who  has  been  called  that  "demi-god,"  greater  than 
whose  name  there  is  none  in  all  the  records  of  mili- 
tary genius  in  all  the  history  of  the  world,  and  ap- 
proaching which  are  only  a  few  that  could  be  counted 
on  the  fingers  of  your  two  hands.  He  was  but  a 
General  in  the  service  of  the  Republic  in  his  first 
campaign.  But  did  anything  occur  which  exalted 
him  from  a  star  as  into  a  sun,  whose  scorching  heat 
fell  on  "  men  "  generally,  irrespective  of  localities ; 
the  fires  of  whose  deeds  burned  the  nations,  and 
caused  men,  as  it  were,  to  blaspheme  God .'' 

He  was  so  elevated.  He  was  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  French  nation  as  First  Consul;  but  he  sub- 
sequently secured  Imperial  dignity,  and  became  the 
Emperor  of  the  French.     As  such  he  led  armies, 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  I9I 

officered  by  Marshals,  who — both  officers  and  men — 
are,  again  and  again,  spoken  of  as  burning  with 
impatience  for  battle;  and  whose  blazing  artillery 
and  musketry,  and  clashing  steel,  scorched  men  as 
with  fire,  burned  and  consumed  them. 

But,  as  if  to  render  the  likeness  most  striking;  as 
if  to  make  the  reality  and  the  symbol  as  ^'' twin-suns ^^' 
double-suns,  in  Revelation  and  history,  we  read 
that  on  that  morning  in  Austria,  when  the  French 
forces  were  confronted  by  the  combined  armies  of 
Austria  and  Russia,  led  by  the  Emperors  of  these 
in  person;  as  the  blow  was  about  to  be  struck  which 
prostrated  Europe  before  the  French  power,  "the 
sun  rose  in  unclouded  brilliancy."  Not  a  strange 
thing,  indeed ;  but  it  attracted  the  eye  of  Napoleon, 
so  that  he  subsequently  identified  it  with  himself 
and  his  career,  apostrophizing  the  "  Sun  of  Auster- 
litz"  as  "illuminating  the  most  splendid] periods  of 
his  life." 

This  is  a  most  remarkable  verification  of  the 
Scripture  symbol.  The  victory  gained  at  Auster- 
litz  bore  upon  the  condition  of  Italy,  to  determine 
divisions  formed  there  being  the  immediate  cause 
of  the  war ;  a  victory,  followed  by  a^  career  which 


192  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

filled  the  world  with  wonder  and  with  suffering; 
and  which,  from  first  to  last,  as  extended  from  the 
Mediterranean  to  the  Baltic,  from  the  heats  of 
Egypt  and  Palestine  to  the  snows  of  Russia,  from 
the  Atlantic  inward,  was  as  a  burning  sun,  blasting 
men  with  the  fires  of  war. 

That  Napoleon's  successes  struck  at  the  beast, 
is  manifest — among  other  things — from  the  fact  that 
one  of  his  campaigns  resulted  in  the  compulsory 
renouncement  by  the  Emperor  of  Austria  of  the 
title  of  "  Emperor  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire  and 
of  Germany." 

But,- notwithstanding  all  this,  French  infidelity 
spread  almost  the  world  over,  even  sweeping  up  and 
over  our  own  shores  like  a  tidal  wave.  "  Men  re- 
pented not  to  give  God  glory"  in  the  midst  of  their 
sufferings,  or  when  the  sun  went  down  over  Water- 
loo, and  behind  the  rocky  heights  of  St.  Helena. 

V.  "And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  seat  of  the  beast;  and  his  kingdom  was  full  of 
darkness ;  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues  with  pain, 
and  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven  because  of  their 
pains  and  their  sores,  and  rej)ented  not  of  their 
deeds." 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  I93 

A  definite  locality  is  anew  mentioned,  "  the  seat 
^f  the  beast"  which  we  have  seen  to  be  the  city  of 
Rome;  ''and  his  kingdom."  This  was  "full  of 
■darkness,"  the  symbol  of  distress ;  but  the  destruction 
of  the  power  was  not  pictured.  What  should  occur 
would  be  momentary.  "  Pains  and  sores  "  should 
be  suffered;  "pains"  as  from  an  outside  hand, 
should  be  inflicted;  but  the  trouble  should,  also,  be 
internal,  as  in  connection  with  the  first  Plague. 

We  must  again  turn  our  eyes  toward  Rome,  "  the 
^eat  of  the  beast."  Looking  thither  at  a  time  sub- 
sequent to  the  breaking  out  of  the  French  Revolu- 
tion, and  after  the  first  Italian  campaign,  but  before 
the  "  sun  of  Austerlitz "  arose ;  we  find  a  con- 
dition of  things,  in  some  respects  remarkable.  If 
almost  any  nation  but  the  French  had  brought  it 
about,  it  would  not  have  been  so  strange ;  but  that 
Catholic  France  should  turn,  at  any  time,  against 
the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope,  was  singular.  I 
think  that  the  order  of  time  is  reversed  in  this  one 
instance  because  of  a  design  to  reach  a  climax  in 
the  representations  of  the  downfall  of  the  Pope. 

The    effort    at    first    made    was    to   revolutionize 
the  Papal  States.     Pius  VI.   was   an  old   man,   and 
^3 


194  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

not  expected  to  live.  Joseph  Bonaparte,  French 
Ambassador  at  Rome,  was  given  instructions  to 
allow,  at  the  Pope's  death,  no  successor  to  be  elected 
to  the  chair  of  St.  Peter ;  and  the  President  of  the 
Directory  wrote  to  Napoleon  :  "  In  regard  to  Rome, 
the  Directory  cordially  approve  of  the  instructions 
you  have  given  to  your 'brother,  to  prevent  a  suc- 
cessor being  appointed  to  Pius  VI.  We  must  lay 
hold  of  the  prese?it  favoj-able  circumstances  to  deliver 
Europe  of  the  pretended  papal  supremacy ''  Occasion 
offered,  revolution  was  organized,  and  the  French 
were  invited  to  enter  Rome.  Doing  so,  they  order- 
ed the  Pope  to  depart;  and  used  personal  violence 
with  him.  He  was  dragged  from  the  very  altar  of  his 
palace;  the  rings,  torn  from  his  fingers;  and  he  was 
finally  compelled  to  journey  to  France,  traversing 
"  often  during  the  night  the  Apennines  and  the  Alps, 
in  a  rigorous  season,"  and  surviving  his  arrival  at 
Valence  only  ten  days. 

Great  was  the  spoliation  which  followed  the 
occupation  of  Rome  by  the  French.  Surely,  "pains  " 
from  without  and  "sores"  from  within  became  the 
portion  of  the  jKople;  and  great  was  the  "dark- 
ness "    which  extended    over    the   kingdom   of  the 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  I95 

beast,  yet  the  people  of  this  "  repented  not  of  their 
deeds."  Here,  then,  were  realities  which  accord 
with  the  symbol  before  us;  and,  although,  in  this 
one  case  the  order  of  time,  for  a  good  reason,  was 
reversed,  the  events  were  distinct ;  and,  as  such,, 
have  a  place  in  history  as  in  Revelation. 

If  it  be  insisted  that  the  symbol  should  meet  a 
fulfillment  at  a  latter  date  than  the  Austerlitz  cam- 
paign ;  then  do  we  behold  the  realization  of  it,  in  the 
renewed  dethronement  of  the  Pope  by  Napoleon, 
in  the  year  1809;  when  the  Roman  States  were 
incorporated  with  the  French  Empire.  In  either 
case  it  was  only  "  darkness  "  that  was  experienced 
by  the  "kingdom,"  a  temporary  obscuring  of  the 
papal  power;  which  was,  after  a  few  years,  again 
restored. 

VI.  "  And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  great  river  Euphrates ;  and  the  Avater 
thereof  was  dried  up,  that  the  way  of  the  kings  of 
the  east  might  be  prepared.  And  I  saw  three  un- 
clean spirits  like  frogs  come  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and 
out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet.  For  they 
are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  which  go 


196  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

forth  to  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole 
world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day 
of  God  Almighty.  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief. 
Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  gar- 
ments, lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame. 
And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called 
in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon." 

There  are  several  features  to  this  symbol,  and  the 
scenes  of  the  things  pictured  are  separated.  The 
l)Ower  which  sprang  from  the  river  Euphrates  is 
plainly  introduced,  and  the  drying  up  of  the  waters 
of  the  river  presents  a  gradual  disappearance  of 
that  power;  and  thus  "the  way  of  the  kings  of  the 
east  is  prepared."  These  kings  are  not  brought  for- 
ward specially  ;  only,  events  progress  which  pre- 
pare their  way — for  what  purpose,  is  not  stated. 
As  applied  to  any  power  the  symbol  would  speak 
of  the  decline  of  this,  or  the  extinction  of  its  people. 
This  forms  one  feature  of  the  diverse  picture. 
Another,  is  the  appearance  of  "three  unclean  spirits 
like  frogs,"  which  come  "out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out 
of  the  mouth  of  tlie  false  prophet."  It  is  not  said 
that  one   came   Qut    of  the   mouth    of  each,  but  the 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  197 

three  were  associated  with  all;  and  they  were  "  un- 
clean." They  were  evil  forces,  "for  they  are  the 
spirits  of  devils ;  "  they  work  what  would  be  called 
miracles,  and  "they  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of  the 
earth  and  of  the  whole  world,"  "  to  gather  them  to 
the  battle  of  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty," 
which  latter  was  to  take  place  at  a  future  time, 
account  of  which  we  find  in  the  19th  chapter  of  the 
book.  This  time  should  be  one  when  watchfulness 
and  carefulness  would  be  specially  called  for, — 
watchfulness  against  subtle,  deceiving  evil;  care- 
fulness, as  to  personal  godliness.  The  one  other 
lineament  of  the  picture  is  the  place,  where  should 
be  gathered  the  forces  of  the  world,  led  by  the 
unclean  spirits,  which  was  "  called  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue  Armageddon  ;  "  the  name  being  used,  doubt- 
less, figuratively,  as  we  have  thus  found  the  names 
Sodom  and  Egypt  employed  in  previous  revela- 
tions. 

The  power  referred  to  will  be  readily  recognized 
as  that  which  came  at  first  from  the  Euphrates,  and 
which  we  viewed  in  connection  with  the  sounding  of 
the  sixth  Trumpet — that  of  the  Turks.  We  should 
naturally  have    expected    that    its    future    destiny 


198  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

would  be  set  forth.  Here  we  learn  this.  Bear  in 
mind  the  order  of  time^  when  we  should  look  for 
the  fulfillment  of  the  picture.  It  would  not  ante- 
date the  symbols  already  explained;  if  in  part 
synchronous,  we  should  naturally  count  upon  its 
going  beyond  the  others.  Do  we  find  that  the 
Turkish  power  has  been  in  any  special  manner 
weakened,  and  that  it  has  continued  to  decrease, 
within,  say,  the  last  fifty  or  one  hundred  years.'' 
From  history  we  learn  that  in  the  year  1683  the 
Turks,  303,000  strong,  invaded  x\ustria.  John 
Sobieski  of  Poland,  the  champion  of  Christendom, 
hastened  with  only  iS,ooo  men  to  the  relief  of  Vien- 
na; and  when  united  with  the  allies  he  had  only 
70,000  men :  yet  with  these  he  assailed  the  vast 
Turkish  horde,  and  achieved  a  victory  which  "  broke 
the  Mussulman  power  so  effectually,  that  for  the 
first  time  for  three  hundred  years  the  crescent  of 
Mohammed  permanently  receded,  and  from  that 
period  historians  date  the  decline  of  the  Ottoman 
Empire."  Dating  subsequent  to  the  events  of  the 
symbols  of  previous  Plagues,  then  we  must  reckon 
from  the  year  1815,  when  Waterloo  was  fought. 
Then  you  should  find  a  great   cause  of  the  decline 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  I99 

of  the  Turkish  power  to  have  been  "internal  revolt 
and  insurrection,"  which  took  place  in  the  year 
1820.  Following  this  was  the  Greek  insurrection 
which  resulted  in  the  independence  of  Greece; 
England,  France  and  Russia,  aiding  in  securing  this 
in  the  year  1827.  Internal  decay  has  gone  forward; 
the  country  is  being  drained  to  people  Constanti- 
nople, where  the  new  comers  find  the  pit  of  corrup- 
tion and  death.  The  way  of  the  kings  of  the  east  is 
being  prepared,  and  the  drying  up  of  the  Turkish 
rule,  as  of  the  P2uphrates,  is  the  preparation;  which 
decline  is  taking  place,  despite  the  combined  aid  of 
England  and  France  rendered  in  the  Crimean  war 
to  uphold  Turkey  as  against  Russia,  and  notwith- 
standing the  assistance  given  to  the  Ottoman  Em- 
pire by  the  European  powers  both  in  Syria  and 
Egypt.  It  may  have  gained  a  few  African  tribes 
during  the  last  thirty  years;  and  in  some  places, 
the  census — by  doubtful  comparisons,  however — 
may  show  an  increase  of  Mussulman  population ; 
but  its  political  and  military  strength  are  on  the 
wane,  and  only  the  intervention  of  the  great  nations 
of  Europe  has  preserved  to  it  vast  portions  of  its 
territory,    and  saved    it    from    greater  humiliation. 


200  JHE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

The  decrease  of  its  political  might  means  the  dry- 
ing up  of  its  religious  sway ;  for,  with  it,  the  two  are 
inseparably  connected.  A  thing  may  be  said  to  be 
dried  up,  when  a  diversion  renders  it  void  of  force. 
May  we  not  look  for  the  preparation  of  the  kings 
of  the  east,  also,  in  the  application  of  steam  to 
commerce ;  whereby  the  way  to  the  west  is  more 
fully  opened  to  the  eastern  nations?  The  kings  of 
the  east,  ^''beyond  the  Euphrates" — for  this  is  the 
intent  of  the  scripture — turn  their  eyes  eastward  ta 
America;  and  over  the  highway  of  the  Pacific  are 
passing  thousands  of  their  people ;  while  the  agen- 
cies of  the  gospel  are  making  their  way  to  the 
eastern  lands  without  reference  to  the  old  bound- 
aries, with  scarcely  a  thought  of  the  Euphrates. 

The  three  devilish  spirits  which  were  seen  to  pro- 
ceed out  of  the  "mouth  of  the  dragon,  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
false  prophet,"  were — I  believe — Slavery,  Mormon- 
ism,  and  Spiritism.  If  the  "dragon"  stands  for 
pagan  Rome,  then  I  point  you  to  the  fact  that  spirit- 
ism traces  its  history  back  among  the  mystic  rites 
and  oracles  of  Paganism.  That  slavery  is  in  harmony 
with  the  "beast,"  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  the  Pope 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  20I 

approved  this  by  his  recognition  of  the  Southern  Con- 
federacy ;  and  that  the  "  false  prophet  "  may  be  rep- 
resented as  sending  forth  a  kindred  spirit,  is  seen  in 
the  history  of  Mormonism  in  this  country.  Whether 
these  things  are  "unclean,"  like  frogs,  I  leave  for  you 
to  judge;  that  all  could  be  said  to  come  from  each, 
and  each  from  all,  their  records  attest.  But  the 
question  of  time,  which  we  must  persistently  keep  i 
before  us,  settles  it.  We  look  for  their  appearance 
after  the  year  1820,  when  we  may  certainly  date  the 
decline  of  the  Turkish  power;  and  surprising  is  the 
response  which  the  last  fifty  years  gives  to  the  sym- 
bol. Slavery  had  existed  among  us,  but  it  was  not 
earnestly  and  generally  recognized  in  its  true  char- 
acter until  about  the  year  1831 ;  when  that  agitation 
of  the  subject  began,  which,  rising  from  the  people, 
extended  into  the  church  and  state,  leading  to  the 
organization  of  society  after  society — social  and 
churchly,  and  finally  of  political  party ;  the  culmina- 
tion being  the  civil  war,  amid  which  the  evil  thing 
was  crushed  beneath  the  trampling  of  a  million  feet, 
and  the  roll  of  artillery  which  belched  forth  the 
doom  of  the  institution  as  such.  Near  the  time  that 
the  spirit  of  slavery  was  evoked,  Mormonism  took 


202  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

its  rise,  in  the  pretensions  of  Joe  Smith.  If  spirit- 
ism had  prevailed  before,  it  appeared  anew,  in  the 
year  1848 — and  with  marvelous  deceptive  power, 
through  its  so-called  spiritistic  phenomena — and 
swept  onward,  going  forth  to  assemble  the  world,  if 
possible,  against  Christianity.  These  things  have 
gathered  the  people,  and  have  been  made  up  of  a 
medley  of  these. 

Surely,  all  this  has  been  a  time  when  men  needed 
to  watch  and  "  keep  their  garments,"  a  time  of  delu- 
sion ;  Slavery,  Mormonism,  and  Spiritism,  trying  the 
very  church  of  Christ,  testing  the  watchfulness  and 
fidelity  of  God's  true  people. 

But  \\-\^  place  where  these  forces  should  be  gath- 
ered, and  where  they  should  gather  the  people,  is 
deserving  of  attention.  "He  (or  they)  gathered 
them  together  into  a  place  called  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue  Armageddon ;"  having  reference  to  Megiddo, 
or  the  plain  of  Esdr?elon.  This  is  the  only  time 
the  name  is  used  in  the  New  Testament.  Its  use 
was  figurative.  It  should  be  an  appropriate  repre- 
sentation of  a  place,  at  the  time  foreshadowed. 
Armageddon  was  the  Old  Testament  battle  field; 
the  great  battle-ground  of  God's  people  with  their 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  203 

enemies.  It  was  a  natural  gathering  place,  a  high- 
way from  the  east  to  the  west,  the  west  to  the  east. 
It  was  a  world's  battle-field;  it  has  been  a  scene  of 
strife  in  all  the  ages.  A  writer  declares  that  '  war- 
riors out  of  every  nation  which  is  under  heaven 
have  pitched  their  tents  in  the  plain  of  Esdr^lon, 
and  have  beheld  the  various  banners  of  their  nations 
wet  with  the  dews  of  Tabor  and  Hermon.'  Here 
fought  Barak  and  Sisera,  Gideon  and  the  Midianites, 
Josiah  and  the  Egyptians;  here  was  encamped  the 
army  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  here  Vespasian  battled 
with  the  Jews;  here  Crusaders  and  Saracens  butch- 
ered each  other,  and  here  an  army  of  Turks  was 
defeated  by  the  French  under  Napoleon  and  Kleber. 
The  scene  is  a  most  striking  figure  of  a  place  where 
should  be  a  gathering  of  the  nations,  and  where  a 
great  moral  warfare  should  take  place  ;  for  it  is  such 
that  we  are  to  understand  to  be  meant,  from  the 
leaders  in  the  combined  forces  of  evil.  The  strife  of 
principles  might  even  merge  into  a  conflict  of  arms. 
Where  shall  we  look  for  such  a  place,  at  the  time  of 
the  fulfilled  symbol — in  the  nineteenth  century; 
where,  if  not  to  America  ?  I  think,  without  a  doubt, 
that  this  is  intended;  and  we  have  only  to  turn  to 


204  THK    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

the  history  of  our  country  for  the  last  fifty  years,  to 
see  the  vivid  realization  of  the  Divine  Picture.  No 
other  place  than  Armageddon  were  so  graphic  a 
likeness  of  this  land  ;  no  other  land  so  fully  answers 
the  spiritual  significance  of  that  Hebrew  name  and 
place  as  this.  It  is  in  this  light — as  a  battle-ground 
of  principles — that  America  shall  come  to  be  more 
and  more  regarded. 

VII.  "And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
into  the  air;  and  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of 
the  temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is 
done,"  the  work  of  destruction  is  now  to  be  com- 
pleted. The  voice,  evidently  of  God's  providence, 
is  followed  by  "  voices  and  thunders,  and  lightnings; 
and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not 
since  men  were  upon  the  earth,  so  mighty  an  earth- 
(piake,  and  so  great."  Commotions  and  convul- 
sions are  here  portrayed,  the  greatness  of  which  is 
to  be  measured  by  the  principles  involved  as  truly 
as  by  the  outward  phenomena.  To  say  that  such 
have  occurred,  is  only  to  repeat  the  history  of  the 
past  fifteen  years.  There  have  been  "voices,"  the 
booming  "thunders"  and  flashing  "lightnings"  of 
war;  of  wars  unsurpassed  in  their  magnitude;  an 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  205 

overturning,  as  by  an  "  earthquake,"  of  ruling  pov/ers 
and  of  long  established  institutions.  Witness,  the 
wars  of  Europe,  and  the  changes  in  the  predominant 
powers,  nations  long  conceded  to  be  invincible  in 
military  prowess,  losing  their  prestige  in  brief  cam- 
paigns, before  such  a  concentration  of  troops  as 
never  before  was  known  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
Witness,  the  overthrow  of  slavery  in  our  own  land, 
which  fifteen  years  ago  seemed  to  be  a  thing  of  the 
far  future,  a  thing  scarcely  to  be  realized;  so  did 
the  nation  honestly  feel  and  declare :  but  violently 
has  it  been  cast  down.  To  say  that  so  mighty  an 
earthquake,  and  so  great,  in  its  bearings  and  in  it- 
self, has  not  taken  place  since  men  were  upon  the 
earth,  is  no  exaggeration  of  language;  as  a  figure 
of  speech,  it  finds  its  verity  in  the  events  of  our  ■ 
own  day. 

"The  great  city  was  divided  into  tlwee  parts'' 
We  are  to  understand  by  this,  as  when  a  "tenth 
part  of  the  city  "  fell ;  that  the  powers,  which — 
united  with  the  papacy — sustained  this,  were  three; 
which  we  find  literally  to  have  been  the  case. 
There  was  Rome,  Austria  and  France.  By  the  in- 
tervention and  aid  of  the  two  latter.  Garibaldi  was 


2o6  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

dispossessed  of  Rome  in  1849,  ^^^d  the  Pope  re- 
stored to  his  dominions.  By  their  help  Rome  was 
sustained  thereafter.  But  "  the  cities  of  the  nations 
fell  " — the  cities  of  these  two  nations  fell,  which  was 
most  markedly  substantiated  in  the  wars  of  1866 
and  iSyo-'yi;  when  city  after  city  gave  way,  the 
conflicts  greatly  centermg  at  these.  In  the  defeat 
at  Sadowa,  the  cities  of  Austria  were  virtually  pros- 
trated. Within  fourteen  days  after  the  French 
government  called  out  the  army  of  reserves  against 
Prussia,  fourteen  cities  were  proclaimed  in  a  state 
of  siege.  From  Strasburg  on  the  east,  to  Sedan, 
to  Metz,  to  Paris  on  the  farther  west,  did  the  de- 
cisive operations  take  place  at  the  cities  of  France. 
That  these  were  intended  is  most  manifest ;  for  with 
their  fall  "  great  Babylon  came  in  remembrance 
before  God  "  :  he,  as  it  were,  remembered  that 
the  time  had  come,  of  which  he  had  spoken  by  the 
mouth  of  his  servants  the  prophets,  and  which 
Christ  had  foretold  his  servant  John,  and  through 
him  his  people  and  the  world.  "  Unto  her  "  was  " 
given  "the  cup  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath," 
which  she  drank,  as  her  Icnporal  power  ceased. 
"  Every  island   fled  away,  and   the   mountains  were 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  207 

not  found  " — fled  away  from  her,  were  not  found  to 
help  her;  so,  the  small  powers  and  the  great,  the 
"  islands  "  and  the  "  mountams  "  or  great  kingdoms, 
forsook  her. 

The  manner  in  which  .all  the  overthrows  were 
effected,  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell,  and  Babylon 
came  to  be  forsaken  and  to  go  down,  is  given. 
"  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  heaven^ 
every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a  tajent :  and  men 
blasphemed  God  because  of  the  plagues  of  the  hail; 
for  the  plague  thereof  was  exceeding  great."  It  was 
thus  that  the  plague  was  "  poured  into  the  air''  To 
have  been  under  the  fierce  bombardments  of  the  late 
war  in  our  own  land,  and  to  know  that  such  had  so 
large  a  place  in  the  Franco-Prussian  war;  to  re- 
memember  that  thus  Strasburg,  and  finally  Paris 
were  reduced,  opens  our  eyes  to  see  the  plague  of 
the  air,  which  would  lead  men  to  blaspheme  God. 
Even  the  battle  of  Sedan  is  described  by  an  eye 
witness,  as  "essentially  an  affair  of  artillery."  The 
air  crowded  with  great  missiles — hissing,  scream- 
ing, bursting;  falling  among  men — terrifying,  mang- 
ling, killing;  stones  full  "a  talent's  weight" — or  fifty- 
six  pounds,  more  than  averaging  this  :  most  certainly 


2o8  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

meets  the  requirements  of  the  symbol,  and  shows  us 
that  all  the  seven  plagues  have  been  poured  forth, 
accomplishing  their  designed  and  prophesied  effect, 
of  destroying  the  "  beast,"  even  corroborating  the 
prophetic  time  of  this. 

As  favoring  the  view  that  Providence  designed 
that  now  should  end  the  temporal  power  of  the 
Pope,  is  a  side  scene.  Mexico,  from  the  time  of 
Cortes,  for  three  hundred  years  and  more,  had  been 
a  Catholic  country ;  this,  alone.  Notwithstanding  the 
independence  gained  from  Spain  fifty  years  ago, 
the  papal  religion  was  maintained.  The  Revolution 
embraced  as  one  of  its  principles  the  exclusive 
prevalence  of  this.  But  in  the  civil  war,  subse- 
quent to  our  war  with  Mexico,  and  which  followed 
the  interference  of  the  Authorities  of  that  country 
virith  the  monasteries  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  the 
power  of  the  church  was  weakened.  Taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  rebellion  in  the  United  States,  Maxi- 
milian was  sent  to  Mexico ;  not  so  much  by  Napoleon 
as  by  the  Pope.  The  triumph  of  this  movement 
against  the  Republican  rulers,  meant  the  victory  of 
the  papal  church,  and  the  existence  of  a  nation  in 
America  which  should  be  allied  to  Rome,  and  which 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  209 

should  sustain  this.  But  the  close  of  our  war  left 
our  army  ready  to  enforce  the  Monroe  doctrine ; 
and  60,000  men  under  Sherman  and  Sheridan,  being 
sent  to  the  Rio  Grande,  Napoleon  was  requested 
to  withdraw  his  troops  from  American  soil,  which 
he  very  politely  did.  Maximilian  relying  upon  the 
church  party,  reluctantly  remained ;  was  captured 
by  the  Republican  forces,  and  executed.  Upon  the 
spot  where  he  fell,  a  rude  mound  of  stones  now 
stands,  bearing  the  marks  of  crosses,  and  pointing 
to  the  virtual  grave  of  papacy  in  Mexico;  which 
country  is  now  open  to  evangelization,  and  where 
the  forces  of  Christ  and  Anti-Christ  are  to  contend, 
with  no  uncertainty  as  to  the  result.  The  year  which 
really  dates  the  downfall  of  Maximilian  and  the 
church  party,  is  the  year  1 866,  when  the  French  troops 
were  re-called  from  the  country;  as  if  God  would 
say  to  the  papacy  :  "  Thus  far  shalt  thou  come,  but 
no  farther." 

You  will  be  impressed  with  the  fact  that  so  many 
of  the  symbols  of  the  book  before  us  have  been 
fulfilled — to  the  seventh  Seal,  opening  into  the  sound- 
ing Trumpets ;  to  the  seventh  Trumpet,  sounding 
now,  as  the  seven  Plagues  have  been  poured  forth. 
14 


2IO  THE    SEVEN    LAST    PLAGUES; 

These  last,  I  believe,  have  all  been  inflicted ;  and 
we  shall  soon  be  called  to  look  upon  events  con- 
nected really  with  the  continued  sounding  of  the 
seventh  Trumpet.  We  are  permitted  to  think, 
then,  of  by  far  the  larger  portion  of  the  book  of 
Revelation  as  we  do  of  the  Old  Testament  prophe- 
cies; with  the  difference,  that  the  interest  in  the 
fulfillment  of  the  Divine  Pictures  of  the  Christian 
Centuries  is  fresher  because  the  verification  is  more 
recent,  and,  thus,  seemingly,  more  forcible. 

You  will  have  marked  that  God  has  to  do  with 
human  history;  that  events  for  which  men  blaspheme 
him,  though  for  which  they  should  repent  and  give 
glory  to  him,  are  of  his  permissive  and  direct  provi- 
dence. The  world  is  linked  to  his  throne,  and  he 
"doeth  his  will  in  the  armies  of  heaven  and  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth."  He  has  his  ways  to 
overturn  the  throne  of  iniquity;  and  in  the  events 
of  the  past  few  years,  as  of  all  the  ages,  we  are  to 
see  his  hand.  Most  remarkable  was  the  oft  repeat- 
ed recognition  of  this  by  the  great  ruler  of  that 
nation  which  has  had  so  much  to  do  with  the  ful- 
fillment of  God's  will  at  the  present  day — by  the 
now  Emperor  William,  who,  in   dispatch   after   dis- 


OR,    THE    GOLDEN    VIALS.  211 

patch,  as  victory  followed  victory  to  his  arms,  owned 
the  providence  and  goodness  of  God,  and  gave 
glory  to  him. 

"Sentence  against  an  evil  Avork"  may  long  be 
delayed,  but  in  God's  time,  foreknown  and  prede- 
termined, he  shall  overcome  and  destroy  this.  The 
subject  has  a  lesson  to  us  personally;  to  you  as  sin- 
ners before  God.  The  forces  of  destruction  are 
already  appointed ;  the  sentence  has  been  pro- 
nounced :  only,  the  day  of  execution  awaits.  Repent, 
then,  and  seek  pardoning  mercy  through  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb ;  lest  his  justice  fall  upon  you,  and 
there  be  "none  to  deliver." 


VIII. 

®Jc  §al)uIoii  ®oman;  or,  Jfalleii  Parlot, 

Revelation,,  Chapters  77,  18. 

St^lJ^E  have  thus  far  in  our  Lectures  placed  our- 
^^UsS  selves  in  thought  beside  the  aged  apostle  in 
his  exile,  have  noted  the  words  and  appearance  of 
the  Divine  Artist,  and  have  read  his  appointed  Let- 
ters to  the  churches.  As  the  rolls  of  the  Unsealed 
Book  have  been  spread  forth,  we  have  opened  the 
scroll  of  human  history  and  found  that  the  charac- 
ters on  each  were  akin.  We  have  listened  to  the 
Trumpets  sounding  through  the  corridors  of  Time, 
the  notes  blending — like  the  different  parts  of  music 
— with  the  sounds  of  earthly  events ;  the  harsh,  woe- 
ful forebodings  being  relieved  by  the  voice  of  "mighty 
angel"  speaking  in  blessing  to  the  world,  the  strain 
echoing  past  us,  and  floating  onward  until  it  mingles 
with  the  music  of  thanksgiving  over  "the kingdoms 


214  1HE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

of  this  world,  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
of  his  Christ." 

Under  the  sunlight  of  Christ's  countenance,  we 
saw  the  Glorious  Woman  who  was  bathed  with  his 
beams  and  reflected  these  from  crown  of  stars 
and  shining  footstool,  and  brought  to  its  birth  the 
New  Testament  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The 
light  of  Revelation  disclosed  to  us  the  early  fearful 
conflict  between  truth  and  error ;  and  the  dreadful 
Dragon  in  his  repeated  and  malignant  workings ; 
and  the  Wild-Beast,  in  its  fierce  goings  forth  against 
God's  true  people,  doubling  its  development  and 
becoming  as  two  beasts,  one  of  which  was  to  out- 
live the  other:  while,  as  if  to  relieve  the  last,  dark 
pictures,  the  rays  of  divine  light  dart  forward  into 
the  far  future  and  clothe  the  summits  of  the  distant 
hills,  though  the  valleys  between  are  to  our  eyes 
filled  with  mist ;  we  knowing  that  this  shall  be  dis- 
sipated, and  assured  that  the  sun  is  to  shine  upon 
them  in  glory. 

Then,  after  Seal  and  Trumpet,  after  Glorious 
Woman,  Fierce  Strife,  Warring  Beasts,  and  glad 
words  of  prophecy  of  the  final  issue  of  events,  civil 
or  ecclesiastical,  the  eye  is  attracted  to  the  Golden 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  215 

Vials  whose  dreadful  contents  are  poured  forth  by 
angel  hands,  inflicting  God's  righteous  anger  upon 
the  "beast." 

If  the  "  Seven  Last  Plagues  "  were  to  destroy  and 
have  destroyed  the  temporal  power  of  Rome,  there 
yet  remains  its  vast  ecclesiastical  organization,  work- 
ing as  we  full  well  know  in  this  country  most  zeal- 
ously and  in  the  old  world  as  earnestly.  Has  Reve- 
lation nothing  to  say  of  this.'^  no  pictures  to 
foreshadow  this.'' 

We  should  naturally  expect,  according  to  the 
rules  of  interpretation  followed,  that,  if  the  inten- 
tion was  to  reproduce  in  the  chapters  now  before 
us  anything  already  given ;  while  there  would  be 
features  sufficiently  marked  to  identify  the  present 
image  with  others  previously  sketched,  there  would 
be  also,  a  carrying  forward  of  the  thing  symbolized 
into  a  still  future  time.  Such  do  we  find;  and  that 
a  change  occurs  which  presents  the  old  Wild-Beast 
most  prominently  in  the  form  of  a  woiJian — identi- 
fied, in  history  with  the  beast,  but  now  raised  above 
this,  as  claiming  chief  notice. 

If  this  new  representation  is  a  picture  of  another 
«ra  in  the  history  of  the  papacy,  following  the  down- 


2l6  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

fall  of  its  temporal  might,  something  special  should 
characterize  it ;  as  was  true  of  the  rise  of  the  first 
beast  and  of  the  second,  the  one  coming  forth  at 
the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century,  the  other  at 
the  council  of  Trent  in^the  sixteenth.  Is  there  any 
fresh  development  of  it,  calling  special  attention  ta 
itself;  so  that  men  should  be  led  to  designate  it 
even  as  a  "New  Departure?"  Most  marvelously 
do  we  learn  this  to  be  so ;  that  the  words  which 
were  the  signal  of  the  overthrow  of  its  temporal, 
power,  mark,  also,  a  new  period  in  the  papacy,  and 
present  this  in  alight  justifying  another  resemblance 
of  which  prophetic  intimations  had  been  already 
given.  The  Vatican  Decrees  of  1870  indicate  a 
new  era  in  Rome,  and  give  us  to  see  the  similarity 
of  the  papacy  as  this  now  exists  with  the  symbol  of 
the  17th  chapter — to  see  it  more  fully  than  ever 
could  have  been  done  before ;  moreover,  as  maturing 
for  its  final  doom.  Say  what  Romanists  will  about 
the  past  claim  to  the  Infallibility  of  the  Pope,  facts 
prove  that  this  was  disputed  even  in  their  church,, 
and  was  not  a  part  of  its  creed.  If  the  doctrine- 
has  long  grown  in  the  purpose  of  the  hierarchy,  it 
has  only  now  ripened  and  appeared  fully  asserted; 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  217 

and  points  the  third  and  last  phase  of  the  papacy : 
for  "  in  reaching  the  summit  of  its  power,  the  papacy- 
has  hastened  its  downfall." 

I.  The  chief  picture  now  sketched  is  that  of  "  a 
Woman''  "  The  woman  is  that  great  city  which 
reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth."  She  is  a 
"  mystery,"  or,  has  a  mystical  name,  which  is  "  Baby- 
lon, the  great;  "  for  just  what  Babylon  was  in  the 
world  in  its  time,  so  should  this  woman  be  in  her 
day.  The  word  "  Mystery "  was  at  one  time  in- 
scribed on  the  Pope's  tiara.  You  will  see  that  the 
woman  now  depicted  is  not  the  Glorious  Woman 
viewed  in  connection  with  the  twelfth  chapter. 
Everything  about  her  is  different,  and  she  is  identi- 
fied with  the  Beasts  that  warred  against  that  other 
woman.  The  contrast  is  as  great  as  that  of  Babylon 
and  Jerusalem,  a  good  and  a  bad  woman.  She  is 
not  called  the  woman,  for  this  article  is  omitted ;  she 
is  named  "a  woman." 

Let  us  view  the  woman  now  portrayed.  There 
was  certainly  something  very  imposing  about  her 
outwardly.  She  was  so  robed  and  appeared  to  be 
so  great  as  to  excite  the  great  and  wondering  admira- 
tion of  the  Christian  seer;  just  as  the  reality  set. 


2l8  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

forth  has  addressed  itself  to  the  eyes  of  men,  in 
that  long  history  and  far  reaching  influence  and 
power  which  this  has  had  among  the  nations.  Like 
some  old  cathedral,  appealing  to  our  minds,  by  its  very 
age  and  its  ancient  and  long  accumulated  adorn- 
ments, does  the  papacy  impress  men  with  reverence  ; 
these  overlooking,  in  the  former  instance,  that  the 
temple  may  be  pagan,  and  in  the  latter,  that  a  thing 
is  not  necessarily  true  because  old,  and  that  an  or- 
ganization may  long  endure  through  the  strength  of 
sin  and  satan,  as  truly  as  through  the  power  of  holi- 
ness and  God :  albeit,  it  must,  in  the  former  case, 
Anally  give  way.  Though  the  papacy  were  as  old 
as  Babylon;  it  is,  also,  portrayed  by  Divine  hand 
as  being  likewise  corrupt. 

A  name  is  applied  to  the  woman  which  may  seem 
harsh,  severe,  dreadful;  but  it  is  used  again  and 
again,  and  we  know  that  for  the  employment  of  it 
there  must  be  ample  justification  :  else,  the  Lord 
would  not  have  put  it  into  the  mouth  of  a  man, 
much  less  into  the  mouth  of  an  angel.  She  is  called 
"'  a  great  whore,"  the  "  mother  of  harlots  and  abomi- 
nations of  the  earth."  Harlotry  is  an  epithet  given 
in  scripture  to  cities  and  peoples  that  are  unfaithful, 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  219 

idolatrous,  and  corrupt.  This  woman  is  exhibited 
not  only  as  debased  herself,  but  as  tainting  others ; 
not  simply  sensually,  but  intellectually,  socially, 
and  morally.  She  aspired  to  association  with  kings, 
with  nations ;  and  with  her  "  the  kings  of  the  earth 
have  committed  fornication,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  the  wine  of 
her  fornication."  She  sat  "  upon  many  waters,"  as 
if  these  were  at  her  feet,  as  the  waves  of  the  ocean 
rolling  in  upon  the  shore,  and  over  which  she  had 
dominion ;  these  being  afterward  explained  as, 
^'peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues." 
Of  the  appropriateness  of  the  latter  simile  to  the 
papal  church,  there  can  be  no  doubt.  The  time 
has  been  when  all  the  peoples  and  multitudes  and 
nations  and  tongues,  were  under  her,  as  subjects 
under  a  mistress — all  but  the  few  unknown,  at  times, 
by  man,  whose  names  were  written  in  the  Lamb's 
book  of  life.  Look  we  over  the  world  to-day,  and 
we  behold  that  in  almost  every  nation  and  among 
*'the  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  tongues,"  she  as- 
serts her  power ;  some  lands  being  still  almost  wholly 
under  her  sway.  That  she  has  sought  fellowship 
with  kings  is   one  of  the  most  pointed   of  historic 


2  20  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN  ; 

facts.  Even  now  when  her  temporal  power  has 
passed  away,  the  desire  and  claim  to  this  are 
cherished ;  and  may  be  again  pressed  even  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet,  and  proclaimed  by  the  loud- 
mouthed cannon.  There  is  no  question  but  that 
to  gain  a  kind  of  dominion  from  which  Jesus  turned, 
and  the  desire  for  which  he  repressed  in  his  dis- 
ciples, the  Pope  and  his  minions  would  consent  to 
the  slaughter  of  human  life,  just,  as  it  now  appears^ 
they  have  done  in  the  past. 

But  has  her  association  with  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  with  the  nations  and  the  inhabitants  person- 
ally, been  debasmg .?  I  point  you  to  all  history  for 
reply.  That  the  Roman  Catholic  nations  have  been 
ignorant,  debased  socially,  corrupt  morally;  that 
papal  Rome  has  been  a  source  of  evil,  and  of  filial 
decay,  is  true.  The  more  intiniate  the  connection, 
the  more  dreadful  the  result.  It  has  blighted  the 
fairest  lands  on  earth.  Wherever  her  power  has 
extended,  all  forms  of  evil  have  prevailed;  and* 
only  as  nations  have  thrown  off  her  domination  and 
influence,  have  they  risen  intellectually,  socially  and 
morally.  Mr.  Macaulay,  who  was  a  better  historian 
and  essayist  than  prophet,  thus  wrote  of  this  effect: 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  221 

*  During  the  last  three  centuries,  to  stunt  the  growth 
of  the  human  mind  has  been  her  chief  object. 
Throughout  Christendom,  whatever  advance  has 
been  made  in  knowledge,  in  freedom,  in  wealth,  and 
in  the  arts  of  life,  has  been  made  in  spite  of  her — 
and  has  everywhere  been  in  inverse  proportion  to 
her  power.  The  loveliest  and  most  fertile  provinces 
of  Europe  have,  under  her  rule,  been  sunk  in 
poverty,  in  political  servitude,  and  in  intellectual 
torpor ;  while  Protestant  countries,  once  proverbial 
for  sterility  and  barbarism,  have  been  turned  by 
skill  and  industry  into  gardens,  and  can  boast  of  a 
long  list  of  heroes  and  statesmen,  philosophers  and 
poets.  Whoever,  knowing  what  Italy  and  Scotland 
naturally  are,  and  what,  four  hundred  years  ago,  they 
actually  v/ere,  shall  now  compare  the  country  around 
Rome  with  the  country  around  Edinburgh,  will  be 
able  to  form  some  judgment  as  to  the  tendency  of 
papal  domination.  The  descent  of  Spain,  once  the 
first  among  monarchies  to  the  lowest  depths  of 
degradation — the  elevation  of  Holland,  in  spite  of 
many  natural  disadvantages,  to  a  position  such  as 
no  commonwealth  so  small  has  ever  reached,  teach 
the  same  lesson.    Whoever  passes  in  Germany  from 


22  2  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

a  Roman  Catholic  to  a  Protestant  principality,  in 
Switzerland  from  a  Roman  Catholic  to  a  Protestant 
canton,  in  Ireland  from  a  Roman  Catholic  to  a 
Protestant  county,  finds  that  he  has  passed  from  a 
lower  to  a  higher  grade  of  civilization.  On  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic  the  same  law  prevails. 
The  Protestants  of  the  United  States  have  left  far 
behind  them  the  Roman  Catholics  of  Mexico,  Peru, 
and  Brazil.  The  Roman  Catholics  of  Lower  Canada 
remain  inert,  while  the  whole  continent  round  them 
is  in  a  ferment  with  Protestant  activity  and  enter- 
prise. The  French  have  doubtless  shown  an  energy, 
and  an  intelligence  which,  even  when  misdirected, 
have  justly  entitled  them  to  be  called  a  great  people. 
But  this  apparent  exception,  when  examined,  will 
be  found  to  confirm  the  rule ;  for  in  no  country  that 
is  called  R^man  Catholic,  has  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  during  several  generations,  possessed  so 
little  authority  as  in  France.' 

The  region  pronounced  to  be  the  most  corrupt 
in  all  the  world,  is  that  of  Rome  and  the  former 
papal  dominions.  The  nearer  the  people  to  that 
"holy  father,"  the  Pope,  the  more  unholy  they  are 
or  become;  and  the  countries  which  come  next  in 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  22^ 

order  of  importance  as  papal  nations,  approximate 
nearest  in  such  notoriety.  Catholics  would  fain  lay 
the  responsibility  of  the  present  condition  of  Rome 
morally  upon  other  shoulders;  and  speak  of  the 
open  iniquities  of  the  place.  But,  be  it  remem- 
bered, that  Protestants  have  but  just  entered  Rome  ; 
that  a  Protestant  sanctuary  was  not  until  recently 
permitted  within  the  walls  of  the  city ;  that  Rome  and 
Italy  are  what  they  are  because  of  their  long  subjec- 
tion to  the  "  holy  see ;  "  and  that  the  Rome  of  to-day 
meets  its  equal  in  the  Rome  of  the  sixteenth  century^ 
when  it  was  proverbially  the  wickedest  place  on  the 
face  of  the  earth.  Romanists  will  extol  the  virtue  of 
the  city,  because  of  its  complete  submission  to  the 
papacy  in  other  days ;  but  it  was  even  then  the  Rome 
of  the  stiletto,  and  a  city  of  secret  sin ;  the  city 
of  the  Inquisition,  albeit,  a  very  large  proportion  of 
its  inhabitants  were  ecclesiastics. 

John  was  "carried  away  in  the  spirit  into  the 
wilderness /'  he  was  led  to  see  the  Babylon  Woman 
at  a  time  when  she  could  be  said  to  be  in  a  wil- 
derness. This  has  been  judged  to  represent  the 
Roman  Campagna,  which  surrounds  the  city  with 
drear,  desolate  wastes.     Whatever  the  literal  intent 


224  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

of  the  word,  if  such  there  be  to  this,  how  different 
this  wilderness  from  the  one  into  which  the  Glorious 
Woman,  of  the  12th  chapter,  fled.  That  opened, 
as  in  valleys,  to  receive  the  hunted  woman ;  but  this 
wilderness  betrays  desolate  surroundings,  and  evi- 
dently symbolized  a  time  when  the  second  woman 
pictured  should  be  wasted.  What  time,  or  what 
portion  of  her  history  could  be  better  called  a  wil- 
derness than  the  present,  as  she  is  deserted  by  all 
the  nations  who  have  heretofore  favored  her } 

Taken  into  the  wilderness,  John  saw  her  sitting 
"upon  a  scarlet  colored  beast."  It  is  declared  to  be 
"remarkable  that  nothing  woujd  better  represent 
the  favorite  color  at  Rome  than  this,  or  the  actual 
appearance  of  the  Pope,  the  Cardinals,  and  the 
Priests  in  their  robes,  on  some  great  festival  occa- 
sion." "This  is  the  color  of  the  dress  of  the  Car- 
dinals, their  hats  and  cloaks  and  stockings  being 
always  of  this  color.  It  is  the  color  of  the  carriages 
of  the  Cardinals,  the  entire  body  of  the  carriage 
being  scarlet,  and  the  trappings  of  the  horses,  the 
same.  On  occasion  of  public  festivals  and  proces- 
sions, scarlet  is  suspended  from  the  windows  of  the 
houses    along   which    the    processions  pass.       The 


OR,    FALLEN    WOMAN.  225 

inner  color  of  the  cloak  of  the  Pope  is  scarlet;  his 
carriage  is  scarlet :  the  carpet  on  which  he  treads  is 
scarlet."  This  color  attracts  the  attention  of  all 
travelers  who  visit  Rome  and  are  present  at  festal 
times ;  and  affords  a  most  vivid  verification  of  the 
symbol. 

The  woman  was  seen  to  be  "/V///  of  the  names  of 
blasphemy^''  the  term  "  full "  being  remarkable  in  its 
emphasis,  as  if  all  the  names  of  blasphemy  had  been 
assumed.  The  Jews  said  that  Christ  blasphemed 
because  he  called  himself  the  "Son  of  God,"  thus 
making  himself  "  equal  with  God."  But  it  was  not 
blasphemy  in  him ;  for  he  "  thought  it  not  robbery 
to  be  equal  with  God,"  since  he  was  "the  brightness 
of  the  Father's  glory  and  the  express  image  of  his 
person;"  of  whom  it  was  said:  "Thy  throne,  O 
God,  is  forever  and  ever."  But  what  shall  be  said 
of  sinful  man  being  thus  extolled  t  Yet  so  do  we 
find  the  Pope  to  have  been  exalted  by  Roman 
Catholic  writers.  He  has  been  named  :  'Our  Lord 
God  the  Pope.  Another  God  upon  earth,  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords.  The  same  is  the  dominion 
of  God  and  the  Pope.  To  believe  that  our  Lord 
God  the  Pope  might  not  decree  as  he  decreed,  is 
IS 


226  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

heresy.  The  power  of  the  Pope  is  greater  than  all 
created  power,  and  extends  itself  to  things  celes- 
tial, terrestrial,  and  infernal.  The  Pope  doeth 
whatsoever  he  listeth,  even  things  unlawful,  and  is 
more  than  God.'  To  say  that  these  things  are  not 
sanctioned  by  the  Pope  or  the  papal  church,  is  to 
contradict  the  decree  of  Infallibility  lately  approved. 
"  The  seven  heads  and  ten  horns  "  were  explained 
in  our  lecture  on  the  Beasts.  They  are  again  noticed 
in  the  interpretation  by  the  angel,  and  would  be 
recognized  as  the  same  as  those  before  witnessed. 

The  woman  was  gorgeously  attired,  "  arrayed  in 
purple  and  scarlet  color,  and  decked  with  gold  and 
precious  stones,  and  pearls,"  a  comparison  most 
natural  to  a  church  which  thus  clothes  its  officials, 
and  thus  decks  its  altars ;  for,  go  to  whatever  country 
you  will,  where  the  papacy  prevails,  or  go  to  what- 
ever neighborhoods  you  may,  however  mean  or 
filthy,  where  is  a  Catholic  church;  entering  this, 
you  will  find  the  effort  at  display  of  riches  manifest. 
I  have  noted  this  in  our  land,  on  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  coasts,  in  the  Canadas,  in  Cuba,  on  the 
Isthmus;  and  what  is  to  be  seen  on  this  continent 
will  scarcely  compare  wiih  the  magnificence  of  the 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  227 

priestly  robes  and  cathedral  altars  of  the  old 
world.  The  desire  for  rich  vestments  and  wealthy- 
surroundings  forms  one  of  the  chief  ambitions  of 
the  papacy. 

"  The  cup  in  her  hand "  appears  in  a  medal 
struck  by  the  papacy  itself.  It  was  a  sign  of  sacra- 
mental sanctity ;  but  its  contents,  in  this  instance, 
reveals  it  as  a  cup  of  hypocrisy  :  for,  though  golden 
in  appearance,  and  clean  on  the  outside,  it  was  "  full 
of  abominations  and  hlthiness  of  her  fornications." 
.  The  "  Mystery  " — connected  with  the  name  given 
to  her — is  that  "  mystery  of  iniquity "  of  which 
Paul  spoke;  and  was,  also,  called  by  the  angel 
Christ,  in  chapter  lo,  "the  mystery  of  God,"  be- 
cause he  knew  it,  and  had  foretold  it  to  his  ser- 
vants the  prophets.  It  was  well  named  "  Babylon," 
as  the  seat  of  Empire ;  appearing  in  its  time, 
at  the  head  of  the  world — proud,  arrogant,  oppres- 
sive, marked  by  a  subjugation  of  all  to  its  con- 
trol, and  by  its  desolating  power.  What  Babylon 
and  pagan  Rome  were  to  the  world,  so  was  papal 
Rome  to  this. 

But  she  was  a  ^^ drunken  woman,"  "  drunken  with 
the  blood  of  the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the 


228  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

martyrs  of  Jesus. V  'The  phraseology  is  derived 
from  the  barbarous  custom  (still  extant  among 
many  pagan  nations)  of  drinking  the  blood  of 
enemies  slain  in  the  way  of  revenge.  The  effect  of 
drinking  blood  is  said  to  be  to  exasperate,  and  to 
intoxicate  with  passion  and  with  a  desire  of  re- 
venge.' We  need  not  look  again  to  the  pages  of 
history  to  see  that  this  condition  has  been  brought 
about  by  the  excess  of 'blood  which  papal  Rome 
has,  as  it  were,  drank;  so  that  reason  has  been  des- 
troyed, conscience  perverted,  heart  corrupted,  and 
sensual  passion  come  to  predominate. 

This  is  the  picture  of  the  Woman  we  are  called  to 
view.  I  think  that  this  whole  symbol,  which  in  this 
part,  is  completed  in  the  6th  verse  of  the  17th 
chapter,  casts  upon  the  canvas  the  features  of  the 
papal  church  as  we  see  it  in  our  day;  a  general  por- 
trait, indeed,  of  that  church,  but  of  this  as  and  after 
the  Plagues  are  poured  forth.  What  follows — the 
explanation  by  the  angel,  reveals  this  more  fully ; 
as  well  as  presents  an  epitome  of  her  history  from 
the  first  to  the  last  of  her  temporal  dominion ;  and, 
finally,  the  prophetic  vision  of  her  spiritual  downfall. 
The  kings  of  the  earth  are  seen  to  "have  committed 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  229 

fornication  with  her,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her 
fornication ;  "  and  the  woman  was  ^^ full  of  names 
of  blasphemy  :  "  no  more  could  be  added ;  the  last, 
affixed  in  our  day — the  claim  of  the  divine  attribute 
of  Infallibility,  filling  the  infamous  list.  The  cup 
in  her  hand  was  ''''full  of  abominations  and  filthiness 
of  her  fornications;"  and  she  was  now  ''''drunken 
with  the  blood  of  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs  of  Jesus,"  having  reached  the  extreme  of 
her  career. 

II.  The  second  division  of  the  entire  subject,  is 
found  in  the  explajiation  given  by  the  angel  to  the 
wondering  apostle.  More  light  is  thrown  upon  the 
canvas,  and  the  features  which  link  the  present  to 
other  symbols  appear;  and  further  evidence  is 
afforded  that  we  are  looking  at  the  papal  church 
after  the  Seven  Plagues  have  been  poured  forth : 
although,  indeed,  it  is  one  of  the  angels  of  the 
Plagues  which  points  to  the  bloody  Woman  that  is 
to  be  destroyed  as  such.  She  is  identified  with  the 
"beast,"  though  this  ceases  to  be  most  prominent. 

This  oneness  we  learn,  when,  in  a  word,  its  history 
is  given.     "  The  beast  was,  and   is  not ;    and   shall 


230  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  and  go  into  perdi- 
tion ;  and  they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder, 
whose  names  were  not  written  in  the  book  of  life 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  when  they  behold 
the  beast  that  was^  and  is  noi^  and  yet  is."  The  beast 
was  to  exist ;  then  perish,  as  we  have  seen  it  now  to 
have  done ;  and,  though  again  coming  forth,  it  is  to 
"go  into  perdition,"  which  latter  event  is  revealed 
in  vision  in  the  19th  chapter  and  20th  verse,  where 
reference  is  had,  doubtless,  to  the  future  destruction 
of  the  spiritual  power  of  the  beast.  Hence,  the 
"  beast  was,"  as  a  temporal  power;  "  is  not,"  as  such, 
now ;  "  yet  is  "  a  living  force  in  the  world,  in  the 
form  of  the  Woman,  the  papal  cJiurch. 

We  need  not  notice  minutely  again  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  Beast  and  Woman.  It  is  given  once  more 
in  Revelation  that  the  relation  of  the  two  might  be 
plain;  indeed,  this  is  positively  declared,  for  the 
woman  is  said  to  be  "  that  great  city  which  reigneth 
over  the  kings  of  the  earth."  The  peculiarities 
here  stated  accord  with  the  other  representations. 
There  are  "seven  kings,"  or  dynasties.  At  the  time 
"the  apocalypse  was  given,  five  had  fallen  ;  kings,  con- 
suls, dictators,  decemvirs,  and  military  tribunes.  The 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  23I 

one  then  existing  was  the  imperial,  or  sixth ;  that 
which  arose  after  this,  and  "continued  a  short  space," 
comparatively,  was  the  dukedom  under  the  exarchate 
of  Ravenna;  and  the  eighth  which  was  of  the  seven, 
was  the  papal  dominion,  and  sprang  up  amid  the 
others  and  supplanted  these.  The  kingdoms  which 
received  power  "one  hour,"  or  the  "same  hour," 
with  the  beast,  were  the  kingdoms  which  followed 
the  old  Empire.  "  These  with  one  mind  gave  their 
power  and  strength  unto  the  beast ;  "  and  with  her, 
"made  war  with  the  Lamb  :  "  and  the  Lamb  should 
overcome  them.  A  strange  feature  of  the  symbol 
here,  is  that  the  ten  horns  should  "hate  the  whore," 
and  make  her  "desolate  and  naked,"  and  "eat  her 
flesh,  and  burn  her  with  fire ;  "  as  we  see  to  have 
been  greatly  fulfilled :  the  very  nations  which  sup- 
ported Rome  turning  against  her,  desolating  and 
consuming  her;  absorbing  her  into  themselves,  as 
Italy,  aided  by  Germany,  has  finally  completely  ac- 
complished. God  permitted  them  "  to  agree  and 
give  their  kingdoms  unto  the  beast,  until  the  words 
of  God  should  be  fulfilled ;  "  which  they  have  done, 
protecting  her  substantially  through  the  1260  years, 
and  withdrawing  their  help,  per  desire  and  necessity, 


232  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

in  these  days  of  realized  prophecy.  In  confirma- 
tion of  this,  are  recent  words  of  Archbishop  Mc- 
Cluskey  who  declares  :  "  Kings,  princes,  potentates, 
are  united  in  their  powerful  opposition  against  the 
Pontiff  in  the  see  of  Peter." 

You  have  thus  the  symbol  of  the  Woman — of  the 
papal  church  as  we  now  see  this ;  together  with  an 
explanation  which  links  her  with  the  "beasts"  of 
the  past,  and  which  touches  upon  marked  phases 
of  her  history. 

III.   Next  view  the  fall  of  this  Babylon  Woman. 

"After  these  things,  I  saw  another  angel  come 
down  from  heaven,  having  great  power;  and  the 
earth  was  lightened  with  his  glory.  And  he  cried 
mightily  with  a  strong  ;voice,  saying  Babylon,  the 
great  is  fallen^  is  fallen^  and  is  become  the  habita- 
tion of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and 
a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird."  The 
picture  is  taken  from  the  dreadfully  desolate  condi- 
tion of  the  city  of  Babylon  in  its  overthrow.  As 
this  was  a  symbol  of  papal  Rome  in  other  things, 
so  was  it  to  be  such  in  its  destruction.  It  has  been 
looked  upon  as  haunted  in  its  foul  devastation,  the 
abode  of  "every  unclean  and  hateful  bird."     Thus 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  233 

should  it  be  with  the  horrid  desolation  of  the  papacy. 
With  this  one  dreadful,  ghostly,  picture,  is  the  double 
fall  of  the  papal  church  spread  before  our  eyes. 
This  event  finds  a  place  in  the  prophetic  abridgment 
of  Ecclesiastical  history  in  the  14th  chapter;  and 
again  is  it  announced,  but  now  more  fully. 

We  come  now  to  the  reasons  for  this  overthrow. 
Her  connection  with  the  "  nations  "  by  which  these 
had  come  to  be  partakers  of  the  penalties  of  her 
fornications ;  her  unlawful  association  with  the  "kings 
of  the  earth ; "  and  the  manner  of  her  support  of 
the  merchants  of  the  world,  who  "are  waxed  rich 
through  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies,"  or  the 
power  and  influence  of  her  pride  and  arrogance — 
veritable  things  in  those  days  when  her  patronage 
was  extended  to  her  merchants,  and  when  traffic 
with  heretics  was  forbidden :  these,  enter  into  the 
causes  of  her  destruction.  The  wealth  of  countries 
under  her  dictation  was  granted  to  her  allies,  and 
worldly  profits  were  reaped  from  connection  with 
her;  while  the  nature  of  the  fornications  of  "kings  " 
with  her,  and  the  effect  of  her  association  with 
"nations,"  have  already  been  indicated. 

Amid  the  symbols  and  declarations,  as  we   often 


234  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

find,  is  an  interlude  sounding  from  heaven  in  appeal 
to  the  people.  If  we  will  say  that  "  there  are  some 
good  people  in  the  Catholic  church;"  and  if  we 
judge  that  there  are  many  true  Christians  in  that 
church  which  is  in  some  respects  a  part  of  the 
other — the  "  Episcopal  "  church,  Protestant  greatly 
in  name ;  then  comes  to  these  "  another  voice  from 
heaven,  saying,  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye 
be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive 
not  of  her  plagues," 

"  For  " — and  here  we  find  another  reason  for  its 
destruction — "her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven, 
and  God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities."  It  is 
not  exceptional  evil  and  general  goodness  that  is 
here  displayed;  but  a  vast  predominance  of  in- 
iquity: "her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven''^dj& 
piled  mountain  high,  and  they  demand  retributive 
notice  from  the  great  God.  Look  at  papal  Rome 
in  its  chief  representative  men,  and  what  do  we 
behold  ? — a  succession  of  men,  for  the  most  part, 
pure  and  good  .?  Not  so,  but  a  line  of  men  who  on  the 
whole  have  been  more  wicked  than  any  other  class ; 
men  guilty  of  bloodshed,  of  idolatry,  of  immorality, 
of  incest,   of  lasciviousness,  of  monstrous   forms  of 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT,  235 

vice;  some  taken  in  the  very  act  of  adultery.  One 
of  the  Pope's  licensed  brothels  in  Rome.  A  Roman 
Catholic  historian  says  of  Pope  Alexander  VI.,  that 
he  was  '  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  horrible  mon- 
sters in  nature  that  could  scandalize  the  holy  chair. 
His  beastly  moral's,  his  immense  ambition,  his 
insatiable  avarice,  his  detestable  cruelty,  his  furious 
lusts,  and  his  monstrous  incest  with  his  daughter 
Lucretia,  are  at  large  described,'  '  by  authentic  papal 
historians.  '  Writing  of  the  Popes  generally  a 
Roman  Catholic  declares:  'The  chair  of  St.  Peter 
was  unsurped  rather  than  possessed  by  monsters  of 
wickedness,  ambition,  and  bribery.  They  left  no 
wickedness  unpracticed.'  This  is  the  kind  of  men 
who  are  now  pronounced  to  have  been  infallible ; 
for  the  Decree  of  Infallibility  is  retrospective,  as 
well  as  prospective.  Read  the  historical  accounts 
of  examinations  into  the  condition  and  practices 
of  the  Religious  Houses  in  the  sixteenth  century; 
and  you  see  an  amount  of  iniquity  that  appalls  you 
— iniquity,  permitted  and  sanctioned  by  the  papal 
church ;  bishops  and  priests  being  allowed  to  keep' 
their  mistresses.  Look  into  the  wine  cellars  of 
priests  now ;  note  that  baskets  of  champagne   are 


236  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

voted  for  at  Catholic  Fairs ;  consider  the  conduct 
of  the  mass  of  the  communicants  of  the  Romish 
church,  the  majority  of  whom  are  given  to  profanity 
and  intemperance  and  sabbath-breaking ;  and  you 
have  some  idea  of  the  "cup  of  abominations"  which 
Revelation  declares  to  be  "  full  "  of  sins  that  reach 
"unto  heaven." 

She  has  "  glorified  herself" — how  much  !  She  has 
lived  "  deliciously  " — riotously,  and  '' saith  in  her 
heart  I  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow,  and  shall  see 
no  sorrow."  She  has  so  done  and  said,  and  declares 
this  still.  Notwithstanding  she  has  been  bereft  of 
the  kings  of  the  earth,  she  asserts  that  she  is  not  a 
widow ;  and  in  the  end  "  shall  see  no  sorrow ; " 
which  language  is  almost  precisely  the  same  as  that 
which  Roman,  Catholic  writers  affirm  the  Pope  now 
uses  as  they  visit  him  with  words  of  condolence. 

For  these  things  :  and  for  her  traffic  in  earthly 
goods ;  selling  the  pardon  of  sin  for  money,  and 
worldly  treasures,  for  jewels  and  clothing,  for  orna- 
ments and  building  material — as  to  raise  means  for 
"the  building  of  St.  Peter's — and  for  all  things  mer- 
chantable;  and,  withal,  because  of  the  persecution 
of  God's  true  people,  has  she  been  deemed  worthy 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  237 

by  God  to  be  destroyed  and  "utterly  burned  with 
fire;  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth  her." 
As  in  "  one  day,  death,  mourning,  and  famine," 
shall  overtake  her. 

The  effects  of  her  downfall  are  portrayed :  the 
effects  of  this  on  those  who  have  had  friendly  deal- 
ings with  her — kings,  and  merchants,  and  seamen; 
rulers  of  the  earth,  business  men,  and  those  com- 
mercial powers,  which  were  sustained  by  her,  and 
which  had  the  wealth  of  the  new,  as  of  the  old 
world,  at  their  command.  The  picture  is  of  all^ 
who,  in  all  time,  have  been  enriched  by  her — and 
not  simply  those  living  at  the  time  of  her  overthrow — 
uprising  to  view  her  destruction,  and  beholding  the 
sources  of  their  wealth  destroyed,  and  bitterly  la- 
menting the  great  change.  One  must  needs  be  a 
reader  and  student  of  history,  if  he  would  take  in 
this  view  which  embraces  land  and  sea,  rulers 
and  subjects,  during  a  long  period  of  papal  rule. 
But  he  who  is  such  will  have  no  difficulty  in  seeing 
that  the  end  of  papal  Rome  is  that  of  a  power  which 
has  been  pre-eminently  connected  with  traffic  on 
land  and  ocean ;  that  great  maritime  powers — such 
as  France,  Spain,  and  Portugal,  have  been  tributary 


238  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

to  Rome  in  days  of  their  conquests  and  wealth. 
The  very  able  American  Editor  of  Lange  on  Reve- 
lation, whose  notes  are  even  more  satisfactory  than 
Lange's  comments,  writes  of  the  commerce  of 
Rome :  "  It  should  be  remembered  that  in  the  days 
of  the  Apocalyptist,  Rome  was  not  only  the  centre 
of  the  Empire,  but  in  a  peculiar  sense  her  bound- 
aries were  coterminus  with  those  of  the  Empire ; 
the  commerce  of  the  entire  State  was  hers — at  once 
resulting  from  and  ministering  to  her  wealth  and 
power,  A  peculiar  relation  continued  to  be  borne 
by  the  City  to  the  nation  dwelling  within  the  pale 
of  the  old  Empire,  even  after  that  Empire  had  been 
shattered  into  fragments.  Even  to  the  present  day 
she  is  in  a  sense  the  capital  of  Papal  Europe.  And 
still  further — the  relation  of  Rome  to  the  peoples 
of  whom  she  was  andfis  the  acknowledged  capital, 
well  symbolizes  the  relation  of  the  Visible  Church 
to;  Christendom,  She  is  its  inspiring  centre — the 
source,  and  to  a  large  extent  a  partaker,  of  its  power 
and  splendor.  The  commerce  of  the  world  is,  in 
a  peculiar  sense,  hers.  To  Rome  actual,  and  Rome 
symbolical  (in  the  sense  set  forth,)  the  description 
of  these  verses  is  applicable.' 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  239 

But,  if  those  who  have  been  enriched  by  her  be- 
wail her  fall;  not  so,  do  God's  true  servants. 
Shall  any  say  that  the  Popes  are  the  successors  of 
Peter  and  the  apostles.^  Hear  the  word  of  the 
angel :  "  Rejoice  over  her,  heaven,  and  holy  apostles 
and  prophets:  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her." 
There  is  to  be  gladness  among  these  over  the  down- 
fall of  that  "Woman," — that  church,  which  has  been 
really  an  enemy  of  apostles  and  prophets. 

The  ma7iner  of  the  final  and  retributive  destruc- 
tion, is  pictured.  Already  has  it  been  declared 
that  "  her  plagues  shall  come  in  one  day,"  one  "year," 
or  "  one  hour  "  of  the  day  and  year — "death,  mourn- 
ing, and  famine."  Spiritual  Rome  shall  be  thus 
wasted,  stripped,  "  and  she  shall  be  utterly  burned 
with  fire,"  as  it  is  afterward  set  forth  in  chapter  19 : 
20.  Some  predict  a  literal  fulfillment  of  the  symbol 
in  the  destruction  of  Rome,  and  f^rm  their  judg- 
ment upon  the  volcanic  nature  of  Italy.  Whether 
this  is  intended  or  not,  the  end  bhall  be  real  and 
sure.  Violently,  suddenly,  forever,  shall  she  be 
cast  down,  "and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all." 
"A  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a  great  mill- 
stone, and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying.    Thus  with 


240  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown 
down."  In  the  19th  chapter  that  sea  is  pictured  as 
a  "lake  of  fire  and  brimstone." 

The  papacy  is  now  centered  in  the  Pope,  is  em- 
bodied in  him.  Romish  councils  are  virtually  done 
away  with  ;  for  the  Vatican  Decrees  declare  :  "  That 
in  all  causes,  the  decision  of  which  belongs  to  the 
church,  recourse  may  be  had  to  his  (the  Pope's) 
tribunal,  and  that  none  may  re-open  the  judgment 
of  the  Apostolic  See,  than  whose  authority  there  is 
no  greater,  nor  can  any  lawfully  review  its  judg- 
ment. Wherefore  they  err  from  the  right  course 
who  assert  that  it  is  lawful  to  appeal  from  the  judg- 
ments of  the  Roman  Pontiffs  to  an  oecumenical 
Council,  as  to  any  authority  higher  than  that  of  the 
Roman  Pontitf."  Any  who  even  say  to  the  con- 
trary of  this  decree  are  accursed:  "Let  him  be 
anathema,"  is  the  sentence.  The  "  definitions  of 
the  Roman  Pontiff  are  irreformable  of  themselves, 
and  not  from  the  consent  of  the  church  " — these, 
are  among  the  last  words  of  the  Vactican  Decrees. 
The  impious  assumption  of  Infallibility,  which  is 
intended  as  a  source  of  strength,  shall  prove  to  be 
an  element  of  weakness  and  decay ;    for,  as,  in  the 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  24I 

providence  of  God,  the  Pope  and  Popedom  are  set 
aside,  the  Romish  church  itself,  divided  and  weak- 
ened, shall  crumble  away ;  as  this  pretended  "  rock  " 
sinks,  the  building  raised  upon  it  shall,  likewise,  go 
down  into  the  depth  of  the  sea;  neither  the  one  nor 
the  other  being  able  to  uplift  itself,  any  more  than 
could  a  stone  rise  of  its  own  power  from  the  bed  to 
the  surface  of  the  ocean. 

The  thought  is  sometimes  entertained  that  the 
Pope,  crowded  out  of  Rome  permanently,  may  be 
induced  to  move  to  some  other  place — possibly,  to 
America.  But  the  papacy  is  committed  against 
this.  To  maintain  such  a  thing  is  condemned  in 
the  Papal  Syllabus  of  Errors,  the  35th  of  which  pro- 
nounces against  "  transferring  the  pontifical  sover- 
eignty from  the  Bishop  and  City  of  Rome  to  some 
other  bishopric  and  some  other  city." 

In  that  city  has  it  decreed  to  abide ;  and  Revela- 
tion links  the  Baby  Ion- woman,  even  in  its  fall,  with 
Rome.  Undesignedly  shall  men  carry  out  the 
prophecies  of  God's  word. 

This  destruction  of  papal  Rome  is  to  be  final. 
"  And  the  voice  of  harpers,  and  musicians,  and  of 
pipers,  and  of  trumpets,  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all 
16 


242  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN  ; 

in  thee;  and  no  craftsman,  of  whatsoever  craft  he 
be,  shall  be  found  any  more  in  thee ;  and  the  sound 
of  a  mill-stone  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee  ; 
and  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no  more  at  all 
in  thee ;  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of 
the  bride  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee; 
for  thy  merchants  were  the  great  men  of  the  earth ; 
for  by  thy  sorceries  were  all  nations  deceived." 
So,  is  stilled  the  merriment  of  her  festivals,  and  the 
sound  of  her  ceremonies,  and  all  her  activities ;  and 
the  light  of  the  candle  goes  out  on  her  altars,  and 
she  becomes  ecclesiastically  as  she  is  now  tempo- 
rally, extinct, — extinct  so  far  as  earth  is  concerned  ; 
but  terrible,  the  retributions  of  the  future  world  in 
store  for  her. 

This  remains  to  be  carried  out;  but  that  it  shall 
come  to  pass  is  just  as  sure  as  the  fulfillment  of  the 
symbols  which  foreshadowed  the  destruction  of  her 
temporal  power.  I  have  shown  you,  I  trust,  satis- 
factorily, that  the  pictures  of  the  Babylon  woman 
have  referenced  to  the  coming  end  of  that  vast 
ecclesiasticism  which  has  cursed  the  nations  and 
the  world  for  hundreds  of  years. 

One  thing  appears  very  prominently  from  a  con- 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  243 

sideration  of  the  subject  of  this  lecture;  viz.,  that 
an  ecclesiasticism  however  vast,  however  strong, 
however  sustained ;  though  sitting  upon  the  seven- 
hilled  city  and  receiving  strength  from  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth;  and  though  robed  in  richest  at- 
tire, even  clothed  with  the  wealth  of  the  world ;  and 
notwithstanding  as  a  great  city  it  should  be  tri- 
umphant over  those  whom  it  looked  upon  as  its 
enemies,  being  drunken  with  the  blood  of  these; — 
that  such  is  not  necessarily  right,  and  may  be  in  the 
end,  weak :  "  For  strong  is  the  Lord  God  that 
judgeth  her,"  who  can  in  his  providence  overthrow 
and  consume  it,  and  by  all  means  at  his  command 
make  it  to  be  "no  more." 

We  learn,  that  however  great  the  favor  which  an 
organization  may  have  in  the  eyes  of  men,  of  even 
the  kings  of  the  earth  ;  and  though  it  dazzle  human 
sight  with  its  brilliance,  and  awe  the  human  mind 
by  the  greatness  of  its  power,  God  looks  through 
the  outward  pomp  and  power  at  the  heart,  and  only 
a  right  moral  condition  avails  before  him.  The 
thing  may  claim  to  be  of  him ;  it  may  call  itself 
Christian ;  it  may,  in  its  self-glorying,  name  itself 
the  "only  true  church,"  and  hold   its  eprtbly  hr?.A 


244  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

to  be  infallible :  yet  God  will  not  spare  it  for  all 
this,  but  will  visit  it  for  its  sins  and  abominations. 
It  is  only  character — not  wealth,  nor  power,  nor 
magnificence,  nor  even  creeds,  which  answers  before 
him.  This  is  a  lesson  to  all  professed  churches  and 
Christians.  We  may  build  our  grand  church  edi- 
fices, and  gather  wealth  in  our  membership;  and  all 
may  seem  fair  and  be  imposing,  yet  this  shall  be  no 
shield  against  his  righteous  indignation,  if  evils  are 
practiced  and  sanctioned  within,  are  cherished  even 
in  the  heart. 

No  more  striking  comment  could  be  made  upon 
the  words  of  Jesus,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world,"  than  the  history  of  papal  Rome  and  its  pre- 
dicted and  partly  accomplished  downfall,  affords. 
It  is  a  fearful  warning  against  the  political  union,  of 
Church  and  State.  Not  even  the  true  churches  of 
Christ  need  this,  and  would  be  harmed  by  it ;  and, 
in  turn,  being  corrupted  by  such  union — would  in- 
jure the  State.  It  is  not  thus  that  Jesus  meant  the 
"  kingdoms  of  this  world  "  should  become  his  king- 
dom ;  for  this  is  to  be  brought  about,  as  we  saw  in 
connection  with  the  sounding  of  the  Seventh  Trum- 
pet, by  moral  means,  in  the  triumph  of  the  princi- 
ples of  a  true  Christianity. 


OR,    FALLEN    HARLOT.  245 

There  is  a  warning  against  greed  for  wealth, 
against  intolerance,  against  self-seeking;  and  a  les- 
son that  above  all,  and,  if  needs  be,  to  the  exclusion 
of  every  other  consideration,  we  seek  to  be  right 
before  God.  We  might  personally  have  wealth  as 
great  as  that  ever  controlled  by  the  Romish  church  ; 
we  might  be  exalted  in  honor  among  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  by  these ;  we  might  wield  a  mighty 
influence  over  the  multitudes  and  peoples  of  the 
earth ;  but  all  should  avail  nothing,  if  we  were  not 
right  "before  him  with  whom  we  have  to  do."  If 
you  are  right  before  him  it  matters  not,  if  all  the 
world  looks  upon  you  as  wrong ;  if  you  are  wrong 
before  him,  it  signifies  nothing  though  all  men 
believe  you  to  be  right.  You  are  wrong  before  him, 
if  you  are  an  impenitent  sinner.  Though  you  may 
have  committed  no  crimes  against  man,  you  are  still 
a  criminal  in  God's  sight;  for  you  have  broken  his 
great  law  of  love — of  supreme  love  to  him,  and 
complete  love  to  man.  Call,  then,  upon  the  sin- 
pardoning  God  for  mercy !  Look  by  faith  to  the 
cross  of  Christ,  and  be  saved!  True  must  be  our 
faith  in  him.  Not  devotion  to  the  mere  name  of 
Christ,  or  sign  of  the  Cross,  will  suffice ;  for  multi- 


246  THE    BABYLON    WOMAN; 

tudes  have  had  this  "  form  of  godliness  "  who  in 
their  lives  have  "  denied  the  power  "  of  true  right- 
eousness. God  grant  that  our  faith  may  be  scrip- 
tural, and  be  the  product  of  his  spirit ;  thus,  saving 
and  abiding,  manifesting  itself  in  grateful  and  loving 
service  rendered  freely  to  him. 


IX. 

Clje  ireat  Conflttt 

Revelation^  Chapter  ip. 

fF — as  I  firmly  and  fully  believe — the  symbols 
of  Revelation  are  indeed  Divine  Pictures  of 
the  Christian  Centuries,  then  we  might  properly 
look  among  these  for  some  portraiture  of  the  Pres- 
ent. But  we  are  to  take  the  pictures  in  our  hands, 
in  the  order  of  their  presentation,  as  we  carefully 
and  earnestly  search  for  the  originals — seen  by  the 
divine  mind  before  these  came  forth  to  human 
view. 

So  doing,  we  shall  not  fail  to  see  rising  all  about 
us  events,  which,  shaped  in  allegory,  will  find  them- 
selves mirrored  in  the  19th  chapter  of  Revelation. 
If  the  interpretations  already  given  are  correct,  we 
are  naturally  brought  now  to  pictures  of  the  Present 
and  immediate  future.  By  a  comparison  of  the 
scenes  now  depicted  with  the  closing  symbol  and 
declarations   of  the   nth  chapter,  with  the  visions 


248  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

of  the  14th  chapter — those  prophetic  summaries  "of 
.  history — and  with  the  i6th  chapter,  from  verse  13 
to  16,  which  had  reference  to  the  future;  we  shall 
be  able  to  connect  what  is  now  to  come  before  us 
with  the  sounding  of  the  Seventh  Trumpet,  which 
has  just  commenced,  and  which  covers  the  next  great 
period  of  the  world,  continuing  to  the  Millennium. 

Added,  then,  to  the  interest  growing  out  of  the 
fulfillment  of  many  of  the  symbols  we  have  viewed; 
added  to  the  bearing  of  past  history  upon  us,  "upon 
whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come  " — which  may 
be  said  more  forcibly  now  than  in  the  days  of  the 
Apostles,  is  the  interest  of  our  being  actors  on  the 
arena  of  now  opening  events.  The  pictures  have 
now  to  do  with  us.  We  are  at  least  on  the  skirmish 
line,  on  the  outposts  of  those  forces  which  are  to 
meet  in  a  conflict  that  is  to  decide  the  world's  long 
peace  and  rest;  if  not  the  final  combat  of  the  great 
campaign  of  human  history,  yet  only  next  to  this. 

The  end  of  the  battle  is  placed  beyond  a  doubt 
even  at  the  beginning.  In  our  last  lecture  we  no- 
ticed the  prophecy  of  the  utter  ruin  of  one  of  the 
greatest  enemies  of  true  Christianity  and  of  the 
welfare  of  the  world.     The  strife  which  closes  with 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  249 

the  rout  of  this  foe  is  next  given.  The  certainty 
of  triumph  was  understood  in  heaven,  for  the  con- 
flict is  preceded  with  the  shout  of  victory.  As  when 
contending  armies  come  together,  it  is  with  loud 
cries,  especially  on  the  part  of  those  hopeful  of 
success,  and  more  especially  if  they  see  that  the 
battle  is  to  go  well  for  them ;  so  do  we  hear  heaven 
ring  with  the  notes  of  anticipated  triumph.  As  the 
symbol  of  Babylon  cast  as  a  stone  into  the  sea, 
never  to  come  forth  again,  was  exhibited,  "  John 
heard  a  great  voice  of  much  people  in  heaven,  say- 
ing, Alleluia."  It  was  a  special  cry,  for  this  is  the 
only  place  in  all  the  New  Testament  where  this 
term  is  used.  "  Alleluia  " — "  praise  Jehovah  !  "  was 
the  shout ;  "  salvation,  and  glory,  and  honor,  and 
power,  unto  the  Lord  our  God ;  for  true  and  right- 
eous are  his  judgments:  for  he  hath  judged  the 
great  whore,  which  did  corrupt  the  earth  with  her 
fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his  ser- 
vants at  her  hand."  One  glad  outcry  was  not 
enough.  The  word  burst  forth  again  from  full  and 
jubilant  hearts:  "Again  they  said  Alleluia."  "And 
her  smoke  rose  up  forever  and  ever."  "And  the 
four  and  twenty  elders  and  the  four  beasts  fell  down 


250  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

and  worshipped  God  that  sat  on  the  throne,  saying. 
Amen;  Alleluia."  The  representatives  of  the  church 
in  heaven  joined  the  cry  of  victorious  praise.  All 
God's  servants,  all  that  feared  him,  "  both  small 
and  great,"  young  and  old,  were  called  upon  to 
praise  him  ;  and  as  with  the  "  voice  of  many  waters, 
and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,"  did  they 
answer,  "Alleluia!  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth."  Earth  and  heaven  mingle  the  notes  of 
adoration  to  Jehovah.  All  the  glory  of  the  triumph 
was  given  to  him  even  before  this  took  place,  as  it 
should  be  afterward,  and  forever. 

Heaven  recognized  that  the  coming  victory 
meant  the  complete  union  of  Christ  with  his 
church,  that  the  marriage  supper  was  now  to  oc- 
cur; for  "his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready,"  to 
be  presented  to  her  husband.  Though  the  mar- 
riage-vow had  already  been  pronounced,  the  bride 
had  not  been  led  to  the  home  of  her  spouse  to 
abide  with  him  continually ;  and  the  supper  which 
was  to  go  before  even  this  was  now  to  be  enjoyed. 
The  theoretical,  the  mystic  union ;  or,  the  union 
spoken  of  graciously  and  prophetically  before  the 
realization,  was  to  become  practical.     It  was  to  be 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  25 1 

accomplished  in  the  actual  condition  of  the  church. 
This  should  appear  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and 
white;  and  "  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of 
the  saints,"  which  should  be  "  given  them ;  "  and 
they  should  be  made  personally  "  righteous  as  he  is 
righteous."  The  grand  idea  is,  that  the  coming 
triumph  in  the  Great  Conflict  is  to  embrace  the 
perfection  of  God's  people,  when  no  longer — as 
now — the  church  of  Christ  shall  be  reproached 
becaused  clothed  in  garbs  of  worldliness,  or  with 
garments  even  "  spotted  with  the  world ; "  but 
shall  be  seen  and  recognized  as  "white  and 
clean."  The  righteousness  should  be  theirs  by 
impartation  as  by  imputation.  Christ's  righteous- 
ness shall  be  actually  worn  as  a  robe,  not  only  to 
shield  from  danger,  but  to  be  fully  and  in  every 
sense  possible  possessed.  "  Blessed,"  indeed,  "  they 
which  are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
Lamb."  "Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give 
honor  to  Him,"  whose  reign  shall  involve  the  true 
and  complete  harmony  of  his  church  with  his  Son, 
"  the  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world,"  and  unto  whom  we  shall  be  presented  with- 
out spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing. 


252  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

The  Apostle  who  has  communicated  to  us  all 
the  great  Revelations  made  to  him,  does  not  say 
much  about  his  own  feelings.  Now  and  then  a 
glimpse  of  him  is  afforded,  and  we  see  that  his  mind 
and  heart  were  greatly  affected.  As  did  he  lose 
sight  of  himself,  so  do  we  almost  forget  him — as  we 
well  may — amid  such  great  disclosures  of  human 
history.  But,  in  connection  with  the  present  vision, 
he  gives  us  in  a  word  a  view  of  the  emotions  which 
possessed  his  soul.  In  view  of  all  he  had  seen,  as 
the  end  was  being  brought  so  gloriously  near,  and 
the  triumph  of  Christ  and  his  church  was  assured, 
he  was  overwhelmed  with  the  spirit  of  grateful 
worship.  He  felt  to  respond  to  the  call :  *'  Praise 
our  God,  all  ye  his  servants."  Have  you  not  thus 
felt  ?  Has  not  your  mind  glowed  as  with  the  light 
of  the  coming  glory  of  the  Lord  and  his  cause  on 
earth  ?  Have  you  not  said,  again  and  again, 
"  Thank  God "  for  these  grand  realities,  for  the 
sure  hope  of  victory  ?  Did  John  see  the  symbols 
and  feel  to  worship.?  So  do  we  look  at  the  same 
Divine  Pictures,  and  we  are  inspired  to  adore 
God  with  renewed  fervor.  He  fell  at  the  feet  of 
the  angel  to  worship  him,  but  the  angel  said  :  "  See 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT,  253 

thou  do  it  not :  I  am  a  fellow-servant  of  thee  and 
of  thy  brethren  who  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus; 
ivo7'ship  God.  For  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the 
spirit  of  prophecy."  The  angel  who  served  John 
as  he  showed  unto  him  these  things,  serves  us,  also, 
by  these;  and  in  these  we  have  the  "testimony  of 
Jesus,"  "the  spirit  of  prophecy." 

The  confident  shout  of  heaven,  whose  spirit  the 
Apostle  caught,  was  followed  by  a  vision  of  the 
embattled  hosts. 

First  is  seen  the  army  of  heaven,  the  forces  of 
good.  The  great  leader  is  at  the  head  of  these,  and 
is  the  most  prominent  personage  of  all.  How  we 
stood  in  the  old  army  days,  and  watched  the  troops 
pass  by!  There  were  Generals  of  note;  there 
were  corps,  and  divisions,  and  regiments,  of  fame ; 
there  were  colors,  honored,  because  battle-torn ; 
but  the  object  of  chief  attention  was  the  command- 
ing officer  of  all.  So,  the  great  commander  of  the 
moral  forces  of  good  is  seen  riding  forth  at  the 
head  of  the  column — the  greatest  and  grandest  of 
all.  Be  it  remembered  that  we  are  still  dealing 
with  symbols;  and,  while  these  stand  for  realities, 
they  but  represent  these.     While,  then,  we  behold 


254  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

here,  without  doubt,  a  vision  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  it  is  not  of  him  in  a  personal,  bodily  form 
that  should  be  visible  to  our  eyes;  but,  like  that 
other  time  when  he  rode  forth  "  from  conquering  to 
conquer,"  so  now  does  he  appear  in  a  moral  con- 
quest. Again  he  rides  upon  a  "  white  horse," 
emblem  of  innocence  and  victory.  I  see  nothing 
in  this  to  give  the  idea  of  his  second  advent  in 
bodily  form. 

What  glorious  names  he  bears,  expresive  of  his 
character  and  warfare.  He  was  "  called  Faithful 
and  True,  and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and 
make  war."  He  is  faithful  to  all  his  prophecies 
and  promises,  true  to  his  people ;  and  only  by 
righteous  means  and  for  righteous  reasons,  does  he 
engage  in  a  war  that  shall  end  in  the  triumph  of 
1  ighteousness.  "  His  name  is  called,  The  Word  of 
(rod,"  a  name  which  we  cannot  understand;  for  it 
i';  the  exponent  of  God  himself,  of  whom  Christ  is 
the  expression  and  embodiment.  "And  he  hath  on 
his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written,  King 
of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords."  Thus,  in  his  three- 
fold name,  are  his  relations  to  his  people,  his 
character,  and  his  position,  denoted.     In  all  these 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  255 

does  he  assume  command  in  the  Great  Conflict. 
"  His  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire,"  as  we  have  be- 
fore seen,  enabling  him  to  observe  all  things,  to 
overlook  all  the  battle-field,  and  to  behold  all  his 
enemies — however  concealed,  however  subtle — just 
who  and  what  these  are,  reading  the  hearts  of  all  as 
readily  as  outward  forms.  "  On  his  head  were  many 
~  crowns,"  won  in  engagements  up  to  this  time. 
*'  And  he  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in 
blood,"  as  did  the  prophet  Isaiah  behold  him  come 
*' with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah."  There  was  a 
double  significance,  there  as  here.  The  blood  of 
his  enemies  was  sprinkled  upon  his  garments,  and 
stained  all  his  raiment,  as  he  trod  the  wine-press; 
yet  was  he  in  all  this  apparel  "  mighty  to  save,"  to 
aid.  He  is  robed  "with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood  " 
— in  the  blood  of  atonement;  for  he  is  thus  mani- 
fest before  "  he  treadeth  the  wme-press  of  the  fierce- 
ness and  wrath  of  Almighty  God." 

But  mark  the  weapons  of  his  warfare.  They  are 
"  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God."  "  Out  of 
his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he  should 
smite  the  nations."  This  is  his  great  weapon; 
and  to  interpret  this  otherwise  than  as  being  the 


256  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

wo7'd  of  God,  would  be  out  of  harmony  with  pre- 
vious Scriptures.  This  is  the  sharp  two-edged 
sword  of  the  spirit,  the  rod  of  iron  with  which  he 
should  rule  the  nations.  It  is  by  his  truth,  his 
word,— not  by  the  simple  letter  alone,  but  by  all 
which  this  expresses, — by  the  principles  of  this, 
wielded  in  a  special  manner,  and  by  his  very  hand, 
or  as  by  his  own  mouth,  that  the  combat  is  to  pro- 
gress. This  is  the  instrument  which  Christ  is 
employing  now,  and  which  he  is  to  use  in  the  future 
more  fully  than  in  all  the  past.  The  nations  are  to 
come  under  its  power  as  never  before;  not  only 
under  its  doctrines  mentally — which  latter  have 
been  thus  received  at  times  by  whole  nations  and 
been  perverted  into  occasions  of  carnal  strife;  but 
under  its  heart-subduing  force,  when  it  shall  "rule" 
men  truly,  forcibly,  firmly. 

The  ar77iies  of  heaven  are  to  follow  him  "  upon 
white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen  white  and  clean  ;  " 
which  garb  as  we  have  already  noted,  "  is  the  right- 
eousness of  the  saints."  They  are  to  follow  Christ 
readily,  as  upon  horses  ;  in  innocence,  and  are  to  be 
clothed  with  true  righteousness.  No  weapons  are 
in  their  hands;  they  but  aid  that  one  sword  pro- 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  257 

ceeding  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ.  They  are 
empty  handed  so  far  as  mere  human  means  are  con- 
cerned ;  and  their  power  seems  to  reside  in  their 
j'obes,  precious  as  "fine  linen,  white  and  clean." 
Need  I  interpret  this  } — to  say  how  we  are  to  war, 
as  here  taught  ? — how  we  may  hope  to  accom- 
plish anything,  and  contribute  to  the  triumph  of 
Christ's  cause  ?  You  will  see  that  it  is  simply  by 
following  Christ  and  the  divine  sword  j  that  it  is  by 
our  lives, — a  godly,  righteous,  saintly.  Christian  life, 
we  are  to  press  forward  the  conquests  of  Christ 
and  the  subjugation  of  the  world  to  him.  Nothing 
is  said  of  even  the  words  of  God's  people.  These 
do  not  appear  to  form  our  great  weapon  in  the  con- 
flict; these  are  naught  beside  the  garment  of  right- 
eousness clothing  our  nature  and  our  deeds.  This 
is  not  saying  that  we  are  not  to  preach  and  teach, 
and  seek  to  persuade  men  to  be  reconciled  to  God  ; 
but,  as  our  words  favor  the  sharp  sword  of  divine 
truth,  so  our  lives  are  to  give  momentum  to  our 
speech. 

This  I  believe  to  be  the  plain,  direct,  positive, 
teaching  of  this  part  of  Revelation.     I  am  not  un- 
mindful of  other  interpretations  of  the  marshaling 
17 


258  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

of  Christ's  army,  nevertheless  I  think  that  this  is 
right  and  that  they  are  wrong;  that  Christ  is  not 
represented  as  going  forth  to  the  retributive  judg- 
ment of  the  world,  but  in  that  strife  which  shall  end 
in  the  overthrow  of  the  enemies  of  his  cause  and 
shall  usher  in  the  Millennial  glory;  the  final  Judg- 
ment and  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  succeeding 
this.  The  armies  of  heaven  are  not  formed  of  the 
angels ;  the  saints  are  his  consecrated  people  on 
earth,  who  had  part  in  that  other  "war  in  heaven,'^ 
or  the  moral  world,  sketched  in  a  former  part  of  the 
symbols.  This  will  be  disclosed  more  fully  as  we 
progress  in  the  lecture. 

With  this  view  of  Christ  and  his  army,  so  arrayed, 
spread  before  the  heavens,  an  observing  angel  is 
seen  standing  as  "  in  the  sun  " — in  the  very  sun- 
light of  the  eternal  Father's  countenance  which 
shone  with  its  vision  over  the  entire  bcene  of  con- 
flict ;  standing,  as  before  the  great  Ruler  of  the 
universe,  and  viewing  all  things  in  his  light — in  the 
light  of  God;  and  he  "cried  with  a  loud  voice,"  in 
full  assurance  of  the  result,  even  before  the  battle 
was  fought,  as  to  "  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst 
of  heaven,    Come    and    gather  yourselves  together 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  259 

unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God  ;  that  ye  may  eat 
the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the 
flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and 
them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flesh  of  all,  free  and 
bond,  both  small  and  great."  Without  distinction 
all  were  to  be  subdued,  and  their  subjugation  would 
constitute  the  feast,  "the  supper  of  the  great  God." 
The  joy,  the  satisfaction  of  the  triumph,  would  be 
to  the  soul  as  a  feast  to  the  body. 

Now  appear  on  the  scene — creeping  forth,  com- 
bining, pressing  forward,  the  hordes  of  evil.  "And 
I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and 
their  armies,  gathered  together  to  make  war  against 
him  that  sat  on  the  horse, 'and  against  his  army.'^ 
You  have  only  to  turn  to  the  sixteenth  chapter,  13- 
16  verses,  referring  doubtless  to  this  combat,  to 
complete  this  picture.  These,  then,  are  the  bat- 
talions. They  are  spiritual ;  and  they  represent 
satan  in  Paganism,  papal  Rome,  and  the  false 
Prophet.  They  are  a  combination  of  these  evil 
powers ;  and  they  gather  "  the  kings  of  the  earth,, 
and  of  the  whole  world,  to  the  battle  of  that  great 
day  of  God  Almighty  ;  "  that  is,  they  gather  the 
Nationalities  to  this.    The  host  is  made  up  of  every- 


26o  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

thing  opposed  to  Christ  and  his  true  people ;  and 
"  with  signs  and  lying  wonders  "  are  they  to  work  : 
"  for  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils  working  miracles." 
Their  weapons  are  deceit,  error,  and  evil  principle. 
The  whole  picture  is  of  nations,  in  their  representa- 
tives, gathered  together ;  and  by  all  possible  means 
■of  delusion,  they  are  to  war  against  Christ  and  his 
true  cause  on  earth. 

The  contest  is  really  Christ's,  and,  with  him,  are 
his  people  ;  as  against  satan,  and  Rome,  and  false 
prophets.  There  is  mingled  aggressiveness  and 
'defense  on  the  part  of  the  former;  they  should  be 
assailed,  but  they  should  follow  up  their  victories. 
We  look  to  see  the  'Co?iflict ;  but,  lo  !  /'/  is  not 
pictured^ — it  is  an  unseen  strife.  No  symbol  of  it 
is  given ;  as  if  it  was  inward,  not  outward,  nor  such 
as  could  be  expressed  in  outward  forms.  It  is  one 
of  principle,  a  great  moral  warfare ;  not  such  as  we 
have  hitherto  seen  among  the  nations — those  bloody 
strifes  of  arms,  but  of  the  truth  against  error,  of 
right  against  wrong,  of  liberty  against  oppression, 
of  light  against  darkness;  and  the  "kingdom  of 
God"  is  to  come  "  without  observation,"  for  it  is 
"  within  us." 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  26r 

Rememberinj2j  the  order  of  the  Apocalypse  :  that 
the  Great  Conflict  was  to  follow  the  Seven  Last 
Plagues,  which  have  now  finished  their  work ;  and 
that  the  conflict  is  to  have  bearing  upon  the  second 
or  double  fall  of  Babylon,  of  Rome  purely  as  a; 
church,  and  you  learn  the  warfare  to  be,  as  I  have 
already  declared,  that  upon  which  we  are  entered, 
and  which  is  next  before  the  world.  The  "  beast  '^ 
still  "  is,"  as  the  Babylon-woman,  and  the  false 
prophet  is  yet  in  the  world ;  the  "  unclean  spirits  " 
are  abroad :  papal  Rome,  the  spirit  of  Slavery,  and 
Spiritism,  with  all  their  kindred  evils,  are  defiant;, 
and  in  some  form  the  battle  is  to  be  waged,  to  be — 
how  fierce,  we  know  not ;  yet,  seemingly,  is  to  be 
unattended  hereafter  with  material  weapons, — at 
least,  no  symbol  is  given  of  such  encounters  as  have 
been  pictured  and  realized  in  the  past,  except  in 
that  early  strife  in  the  moral  world. 

It  may  be  a  war  involving  modes  of  education ; 
and  be,  also,  social  and  political  in  its  nature. 
Great  questions  of  mind,  of  home,  of  civil  rights, 
may  enter  into  it;  certainly,  it  is  to  be  a  combat  of 
truth  against  error,  of  the  Bible  against  all  forms  of 
evil  and  unbelief.     That  such  a  strife  is  before  us, 


262  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

in  which  the  "  Beast  "  in  the  form  of  the  Babylon- 
woman  is  to  be  arrayed  against  Christ  and  his  true 
people ;  in  which  the  subject  of  equal  human  rights 
is  to  be  agitated  (for  the  late  war  in  our  land,  it 
now  seems,  has  not  fully  decided  this,  despite  the 
earnest  efforts  of  the  lamented  Sumner — to  say 
nothing  of  the  bearings  of  the  question  upon  other 
lands) ;  in  which  Spiritism,  and  Mormonism,  and 
every  false  prophet,  are  to  have  part;  in  which 
science  is  to  be  made  to  cross  blades  with  the  sword 
which  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ; — that  such  a  conflict  is  at  hand.  Reve- 
lation indicates  and  our  eyes  do  plainly  behold,  in 
the  arming  and  mustering  of  the  forces.  We  know 
that  these  do  exist — active,  full  of  purpose,  and 
malignant,  on  the  one  hand ;  strong,  and  able  in 
equipment  and  leadership,  on  the  other,  the  great 
Captain  of  our  salvation  calling  the  armies  'of 
heaven,  his  people,  to  his  "  help  against  the  mighty." 
He  is  blind,  or  blind-folded  by  earthly  cares  and 
concerns  who  does  not  see  the  lines  of  battle — line 
upon  line  of  the  army  led  by  the  Dragon  against 
Christ  and  his  forces.  Even  the  friends  of  the 
Babylon-power  recognize  that  the  strife  is  upon  us. 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  263 

Archbishop  Manning,  thought  to  be  by  far  the 
ablest  as  he  is  the  most  distinguished  Roman  Catho- 
lic prelate  in  the  United  Kingdom,  has  declared  in 
the  progress  of  his  discussion  with  Mr.  Gladstone, 
that  "  the  world  is  on  the  eve  of  the  mightiest  religi- 
ous controversy  it  has  ever  witnessed,  at  least  within 
the  last  three  hundred  years."  A  Catholic  paper 
speaking  of  the  debate,  says  :  "  The  first  guns  have 
been  fired  in  this  '  great  religious  strife. '  We  await 
the  next."  The  words  of  Archbishop  Manning  are 
not  those  of  one  who  merely  notes,  however  inter- 
estedly, the  signs  of  the  times ;  they  are  the  utter- 
ance of  one  who  is  in  the  secret  counsels  of  the 
Pope,  who  has  been  rewarded  for  past  services  with 
the  highest  position  his  church  can  grant  him  in 
England,  and  who,  doubtless,  knows  the  purposes 
formed,  the  campaign  mapped  out  which  is  to  be 
prosecuted  in  Europe  and  America, — for  never  did 
General  or  Council  of  War  more  carefully  mature 
plans  of  operation  than  does  the  papacy.  "  Wise  as 
serpents,  and  as  harmless  " — as  these,  are  its  eccle- 
siastics. 

The  apprehension   of  this   struggle  exists  in  our 
country,  there  being  even  fears   of  a  religious  war. 


264  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

Already  there  are  mutterings  of  a  strife  of  the  prin- 
ciples at  issue.  This  has  commenced  in  the  press, 
and  at  the  ballot-box ;  and  it  is  to  assume  an  intensity 
scarcely  imagined  by  us  now.  Think  we  that  the 
claim  of  the  Pope,  ratified  by  his  minions  in  coun- 
cil assembled,  to  the  supreme  obedience  of  his  sub- 
jects, does  not  extend  to  America?  As — appealing 
to  the  enslaved  consciences  of  these,  he  identifies 
allegiance  to  God  with  obedience  to  his  own  behests, 
may  he  not  pretend  to  absolve  Catholics  from  fidelity 
to  this  Government,  as — so  often  before — he  has 
again  done, in  Europe;  this  time,  in  Austria — where 
the  recent  liberal  enactments  establishing  liberty  of 
all  "  opinions,  liberty  of  the  press,  and  liberty  of 
faith,"  were  thus  met  by  him?  The  Pope  is  the 
pronounced  enemy  of  the  "  liberty  of  the  press, 
liberty  of  conscience  and  of  worship,"  and  "lib- 
erty of  speech ;  "  he  is  the  avowed  advocate  of 
the  use  of  "force"  in  executing  the  behests  of 
his  church,  the  positive  claimant  to  arbitrate  even 
in  civil  affairs,  clinging  still  to  the  temporal  power 
of  the  Popedom.  He  is  the  declared  foe  of  secu- 
lar education,  of  our  common  schools;  of  every- 
thing, but  his  own  selfish,  greedy  Babylon-power. 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  265 

He  is  more  intent  upon  regaining  his  lost  earthly 
crown  than  upon  possessing  a  crown  in  heaven ; 
more  anxious  for  the  worldly  aggrandizement  of 
his  false  church,  than  for  the  true  salvation  of 
men.  If  he  will  favor  any  means  to  gain  his 
ends  in  Europe,  let  us  see  to  it  that  he  does  not 
succeed  in  his  efforts  in  America ;  nor  organize  his 
people  into  a  fierce  mob,  and  hurl  them  against  the 
life  of  the  Republic.  Dr.  Dollinger  says  :  "  By 
the  new  decree  it  is  the  duty  of  every  layman, 
whenever  it  is  intimated  to  him  that  this  or  that 
question  has  been  decided  by  the  Pope,  to  obey. 
When  the  Pope  orders  a  man  to  vote  in  a  specified 
manner,  he  is  obliged,  even  in  his  capacity  as  a 
member  of  Parliament,  to  obey.  That  was  never 
said  before.  //  is  a  new  situation  since  iSyo.  Mr. 
Gladstone  brings  this  truth  out  in  his  pamphlet. 
He  says  that  the  civil  elections  of  every  Catholic 
country  are  now  quite  uncertain,  because  they  de- 
pend entirely  upon  the  will  of  a  foreign  potentate. 
This  is  the  side  of  the  question  which  ought  to  be 
studied  in  the  United  States  too." 

In   the    direct    connection   of  the   scripture,    no 
particular //^r*?  where  the  conflict  should  be  waged, 


266  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

is  Stated  or  symbolized ;  as  if  this  was  to  be  general 
— over  the  world.  But  in  the  sixteenth  chapter, 
where,  doubtless,  this  same  war  is  foretold,  a  place 
is  specified;  showing  that  while  the  war  is  to  reach 
world-wide,  there  should  be  a  most  marked  scene 
of  strife — where  the  forces  should  be  concentrated, 
and  the  blows  struck  which  should  be  decisive  of 
the  whole  campaign ;  the  issue  here,  determining 
the  struggle,  and  leading  to  the  laying  down  of 
every  hostile  weapon.  That  place  "  is  called  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon,"  which  I  have  demon- 
strated to  be  a  most  apt  figure  of  America.  The 
kings,  or  nationalities  of  the  earth,  should  be 
gathered  together  to  "  the  battle  of  that  great  day 
of  God  Almighty."  This  gathering  should  take 
place  peculiarly,  so  as  to  be  noticed  specially,  as  the 
waters  of  the  Euphrates  were  being  dried  up,  which 
latter  we  saw  to  commence  about  the  year  1820. 
As  a  fact  of  history,  it  was  in  the  year  181 9  that  for 
the  first,  by  act  of  Congress,  statistics  of  the  num- 
ber of  Emigrants  reaching  this  country  were  made. 
Since  then,  year  by  year,  the  record  of  the  number 
has  been  kept;  and  that  time  nearly  dates  the  rapid 
income  of  the  mighty  flood,  hundreds  of  thousands 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  2O7 

of  foreigners  being  borne  in  single  years  upon  our 
shores,  till  the  number  has  swelled  to  millions — 
poured  from  almost  all  nationalities  into  our  cities, 
out  on  our  prairies,  far  and  wide.  From  the  east 
and  from  the  west  they  have  come,  and  are  coming. 
The  Atlantic  and  Pacific  waves  bear  up  the  tide 
upon  our  shores :  papal  Rome,  largely  on  the  one 
hand  ;  pagan  east,  upon  the  other,  are  meeting  here. 
The  whole  world,  in  its  representatives,  is  coming 
together;  and  all  are  bringing  their  peculiar  preju- 
dices of  nationality,  of  religion,  of  education ;  and 
the  old  conflicts  of  the  ages  are  to  be  renewed  in 
spirit,  the  great  battle  of  all  time  is  to  be  fought. 
A  Catholic  bishop,  speaking  of  a  recent  visit  to  the 
Pope,  says,  that  the  latter  "  did  not  conceal  the  hope 
he  felt  of  the  growth  of  Catholicity  in  America 
and  for  its  ultimate  triumph  in  our  prosperous 
country ;  "  thus  manifesting  that  the  eyes  of  the 
Pope  are  turned  toward  this  land  as  the  scene  of 
special  effort.  Thank  God  for  the  indirect  promise 
of  his  word,  that  the  strife  is  to  be  moral ;  for  so 
shall  it  be,  what  conflicts  of  arms  are  not  necessarily 
— truly  and  fully  decisive. 

You  will  own  at  least  that  this  view  of  the  scene 


268  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

of  the  great  battle  nicely  accommodates  itself  to  the 
symbols ;  but  I  am  not  dealing  with  mere  accom- 
modations of  truth ;  I  am  pointing  you  to  the  reali- 
zation of  symbols  in  facts,  and  if  the  other  repre- 
sentations have  met  their  counterpart  in  past  his- 
tory, so  does  the  one  before  us  find  its  fulfillment 
in  a  real  order  of  things.  I  will  not  go  over  the 
reasons  for  this,  but  the  interpretation  must  stand 
or  fall  upon  the  grounds  given.  I  believe  it  to  be 
true  to  the  great  principles  of  interpretation  we 
have  followed  in  the  whole  course  of  lectures. 

On  that  old  battle  ground  of  Armageddon,  among 
those  great  conflicts  there  waged,  was  one  not  de- 
cided by  the  numbers  of  the  victors;  but  by  the 
trueness  and  courage  and  devotion  of  each  man, 
and  the  victory  turned  upon  the  battle  cry  of  the 
conquerors :  '*  The  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of 
Gideon  !  " — "  For  Jehovah  and  for  Gideon!  "  This 
be  our  consecration,  this  be  our  inspiration — Christ 
and  his  true  cause  !  The  sword  we  follow,  be  the 
"  sharp  sword  which  goeth  out  of  his  mouth  "  "  who 
is  the  Faithful  and  True,  and  who  in  righteousness 
doth  judge  and  make  war;  "  who  is  the  "  Word  of 
(iod,"  the  "King  of  Kings   and  Lord  of   Lords." 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  269 

When  the  princes  of  Germany  offered  their  swords 
to  Luther  to  further  the  Reformation,  he  replied : 
"The  zuord  will  do  it."  So,  discarding  material 
means,  and  looking  beyond  mere  political  triumph, 
let  us  rely  upon  the  power  of  divine  truth,  most 
zealously  used. 

If  the  Great  Conflict  itself  is  not  directly  pictured, 
the  result  of  this — like  the  forces  engaged — is.  "  And 
the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet 
that  wrought  miracles  before  him,  with  which  he 
deceived  them  that  had  received  the  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  them  that  worshiped  his  image.  These 
both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone." They  were  captured,  and  were  cast  as  into 
a  lake  burning  with  sulphur;  so,  were  punished 
and  destroyed  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  This  is 
the  picture  of  the  spiritual  overthrow  of  papal  Rome 
and  the  false  prophet ;  and  of  that  punishment  in 
reserve  for  the  votaries  of  these.  That  it  shall  be 
fearful,  is  certain — as  dreadful  as  a  lake  of  burning 
fire  to  the  body ;  that  it  shall  be  lasting,  is  sure, 
for  "  her  smoke  rose  up  forever  and  ever."  That  it 
involves  conscious  suffering,  is  taught ;  for  they 
were  cast   into  the  lake  "alive,"   and   "they  shall 


270  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

be  tormented  day  and  night  forever  and  ever." 
The  victory  shall  be  complete.  All  forms  of  evil 
and  of  error  are  to  be  subdued.  Not  only  the 
beast  and  false  prophet  are  to  be  destroyed — they 
in  judgment  and  wrath  ;  but  "  the  remnant  were 
slain  with  the  sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse, 
which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth  ;  and  all  the 
fowls  were  filled  with  their  flesh."  The  representa- 
tion does  not  give  us  to  believe  that  all  shall  be 
brought  into  loving  subjection  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  but  all  shall  be  overpowered.  Some  shall 
be  cast  into  the  "  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone ;  " 
others  shall  be  vanquished  with  the  sword  of  the 
spirit,  with  the  sword  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

What  a  hopeful  look  the  whole  picture  affords  of 
the  future  immediately  before  us — before  America 
and  the  world.  How  anxiously  earnest  minds  are 
questioning  as  to  the  fate  of  our  country, — whether 
civil  liberty  is  to  continue,  or  is  simply  a  problem. 
The  human  outlook  is  not  fully  satisfactory.  Our 
people  are  too  greatly  swayed  by  passion  and  pre- 
judice, and  too  little  by  reason  and  principle;  the 
commingling  of  elements  is  too  varied  ;  the  friends 
of  truth  and  right,  too  apathetic,  and  the  votaries  of 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  27 1 

error  and  wrong  so  active  and  determined,  that  the 
favorable  solution  of  the  question  must  come  from  a 
power  above  man,  overruling  all  things  for  good.  In 
the  old  world,  the  conflict  is  so  largely  one  of  mate- 
rial might,  that — looking  no  further  than  the  national 
features  of  it,  the  result  seems  doubtful.  Yet  be 
not  faithless,  but  believing,  O  Christian,  O  lover  of 
man ;  for  the  word  of  Jesus  Christ  points  to  the 
triumph  of  the  Good  and  True :  on  the  mountain 
heights  of  the  future  do  we  see,  in  the  light  of  Reve- 
lation, the  banners  of  Immanuel  waving  in  victory. 

Whatever  the  means  Christ  may  use — and  we  are 
sure  that  "  true  and  righteous  are  all  his  ways  " — 
our  duty  is  plain  ;  we  are  to  "  follow  the  Lamb  '* 
whithersoever  he  leadeth,  guided  by  that  divine 
sword  flashing  before  the  eyes  of  our  faith :  we  are 
to  go  forward  clothed  in  that  "  fine  linen,  clean  and 
white  " — the  righteousness  of  the  "  samts."  We  are 
to  hope  for  the  conquest  of  the  world,  and  are  to 
seek  this  now  specially  by  means  of  our  Christian 
character  and  devotion,  only  next  to  the  word  of 
God,  or  in  connection  with  this. 

The  point  we  are  to  strike  at  is  indicated.  It  is 
the  human  soul.     This  is  the-  key  of  the   position. 


272  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

We  are  to  touch  men  not  outwardly,  but  by  moral 
influence  ;  not  by  material  force,  but  by  spiritual — by 
the  power  of  divine  truth  and  the  influence  of  godly 
lives,  brought  to  bear  upon  their  consciences  and 
hearts  and  wills.  The  present  and  eternal  salvation 
of  men  is  to  be  most  earnestly  sought.  This  is  not 
only  indicated  as  the  line  of  our  duty ;  but,  oh ! 
that  this  shall  be  done,  that  the  gospel  shall  spread 
with  renewed  force  to  every  land  is  pictured  in  that 
part  of  the  14th  chapter  which  links  itself  with  this 
very  time  :  "  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the 
midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to 
every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue  and  people." 
This  great  warfare  is  to  take  place  as  well  on  the 
battle-fields  of  our  ow?i  hearts.  Heaven  saw  that 
the  casting  of  the  beast  [and  of  the  false  prophet 
into  the  lake  of  fire  should  be  connected  with  the 
"  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb."  Through  the  con- 
flict, or  in  this,  the  wife  doth  "  make  herself  ready." 
Are-  we  ready  ?  Are  we  stripped  of  robes  of  world- 
liness  ?  of  worldly  pride  and  self-seeking  .'^  of  all 
evil }  and  are  we  clothed  upon,  in  mind  and  soul, 
with  garments  clean  and  white  }     Do  we  feel  all  the 


THE    GREAT    CONFLICT.  273 

evil  forces  working  upon  our  own  hearts  ?  appealing 
to  us — sometimes,  how  strongly !  Do  the  beast  and 
false  prophet  and  satan  himself  assail  us  in  our 
thoughts  and  in  the  desires  and  purposes,  the  mo- 
tives and  affections  of  our  hearts — in  our  whole 
soul  ?  Let  us  recognize  in  the  assault  a  part  of  the 
Great  Conflict.  Every  citadel  is  to  be  assailed ;  and 
every  victory  which  every  child  of  God  gains  in 
himself  over  these  things  contributes  toward  the 
grand  result  over  which  heaven  and  earth  shall 
rejoice  with  singing.  While  we  urge  on  as  never 
before  the  triumphs  of  truth  and  righteousness  in 
others,  let  us  not  be  surprised  ourselves  and  over- 
thrown by  the  enemy;  but,  by  as  much  as  he  holds 
any  of  the  ground  of  our  souls,  be  it  ours,  under  the 
leadership  of  Christ  and  by  the  sanctifying  might  of 
his  truth  and  spirit,  to  seek  to  dispossess  the  evil 
ones  :  so  shall  we  best  follow  Christ  to  the  conquest 
of  the  whole  world. 

I  put  a  searching  question  to  you  all :  Under 
whose  standard  are  you  serving  ?  Who  are  you  fol- 
lowing.? Which  side  are  we  aiding.?  "He  that  is 
not  for  us  is  against  us,"  says  Jesus.  Are  you  for 
Christ.?    You    cannot    be    neutral.     Less    and    less 

,   18 


274  THE    GREAT    CONFLICT. 

shall  men  be  able  to  be  so.  These  great  principles, 
are  defining  themselves  more  and  more,  the  lines  of 
battle  are  becoming  more  and  more  distinct ;  and 
in  the  ranks  of  the  one  or  the  other  are  we  found. 
The  battle  shall  reach  to  every  nation,  to  every 
home,  to  every  heart. 

I  plead  with  you  to-night  for  Christ.  Because  of 
love  to  him,  and  the  desire  to  glorify  him,  I  ask  you 
to  be  for  him.  For  your  own  good,  I  seek  it. 
Choose  the  right:  choose  the  Faithful  and  True 
one,  the  divine  Jesus,  the  King  of  Kings  and  Lord 
of  Lords.  Choose  the  victor  side ;  for  we  invite  you 
not  to  defeat.  Better  to  fall  with  the  right  than  to 
stand  with  the  wrong.  But  the  right  shall  prevail. 
The  sure  word  of  prophecy  declares  this.  In  ask- 
ing you  to  give  your  allegiance  to  Christ,  I  call  you 
not  to  mourning  and  suffering  ;  I  joyfully,  earnestly, 
in  the  name  of  my  Master,  bid  you  to  a  royal  feast, 
to  a  marriage  supper, — the  marriage  of  the  Lamb. 
"  Blessed  are  they  which  are  called  unto  the  mar- 
riage fsupper  of  the  Lamb."  Aye,  blessed  such  : 
blessed  you  who  are  called  now  ;  if  you  will  "  make 
your  calling  sure  "  by  accepting  in  humble,  peni- 
tent faith,  the  gracious  invitation. 


X. 

Cjje  Pillenniam. 

Revelation^  Chapter  20. 

JJ^'OU  have  seen  the  sun  shining  above  the  moun- 
^^  tains  in  the  west,  and  while  the  evening  was 
coming  on  to  you,  you  have  understood  that  beyond 
the  heights  there  should  be  sunlight  still ;  and  you 
have  thought  of  the  sunlit  scenes  on  which  your  eye 
rested  not.  These  were  realities,  you  knew  ;  and 
you  knew  that  the  same  sun  which  had  illu- 
mined your  path  and  had  shone  around  the  ^:orld 
as  this  turned  eastward,  was  to  light  up  the  things 
unseen  by  you,  and  to  brighten  all  in  glory. 

Gazing  from  our  present  stand-point  toward  the 
heavens  glowing  with  the  symbols  of  Revelation, 
we  behold  the  light  reaching  in  advance  of  us — into 
the  future,  and  shining  upon  realities  yet  to  come , 
but  upon  realities  as  distinct  as  those  of  the  past  or 
the  present.  Heretofore,  we  have  had  greatly  the 
advantage  of  events  which  have  transpired  to  aid 


276  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

US  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Divine  Pictures  ;  we 
have  been  able,  as  we  have  judged  what  these 
naturally  called  for,  to  turn  to  history,  or  to  look 
about  us  and  ascertain  if,  in  the  past  or  present, 
there  was  anything  which  really  corresponded  with 
these  ;  and  we  have  not  searched  in  vain.  Though 
we  have  been  surprised  at  the  wondrous  verification 
of  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  this  has  been  only 
what  we  might  have  expected  from  a  Divine  Christ; 
his  revelations  placing  themselves  beside  his  mira- 
cles in  confirmation  of  his  divine  nature  and  Mes- 
siahship.  But  now  we  must  not  only  form  an  humble 
yet  earnest  opinion  of  what  the  portraitures  mean, 
but  of  the  things  which  shall  probably  answer  to 
these  ;  rather,  we  can  only  judge  of  their  evident 
design,  and  must  leave  the  realities  to  the  great 
future. 

Gladly,  jubilantly,  may  we  turn  to  the  present 
Picture];  for,  if  there  has  been  doubt  and  there  is 
still  a  division  of  sentiment  as  to  some  of  the  fore- 
shadowings  of  the  Millennium,  there  is  no  uncer- 
tainty as  to  the  glory  of  this.  All  are  agreed  that 
it  means  morning  to  the  world,  that  it  shall  bring 
the    golden    age    to    our    race;     that    the   grandest 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  277 

dreams  of  the  possibilities  of  human  nature  on  the 
earth,  as  it  now  is,  are  to  be  realized.  As  do 
Astronomers  point  us  to  the  stars  and  tell  us  at  best 
of  only  a  few  features  of  these — so  distant  are 
they;  declaring  that  these  are  suns,  giving  to  us 
some  idea  of  the  size  and  nature  and  color  of  these, 
and  beyond  this  confessing  ignorance  ;  so  do  I 
direct  you  to  the  portion  of  Revelation  before  us 
now,  indicating  to  you  the  lines  of  light  and 
meaning,  but  not  speaking  with  full  certainty  of  the 
coming  realities. 

The  term  Millennium  means  simply  a  thousand 
years,  and  has  come  to  be  used  in  connection  with 
the  book  of  Revelation  because  of  the  "  thousand 
years"  here  spoken  of.  It  has  in  itself  no  other 
meaning,  and  in  the  scripture  no  other  reference. 
It  has  no  subtle  significance.  All  of  good  asso- 
ciated with  it  has  grown  out  of  the  symbols  which 
clothe  it  in  the  Apocalypse,  or  has  been  based  upon 
these. 

Does  it  stand  for  a  long,  indefinite  time  ?  While, 
indeed,  long,  it  would  be  contrary  to  the  use  of 
figures  thus  far  in  the  book  to  say  that  this  is  the 
only  meaning  of  the  phrase.       The  time  is  definite. 


278  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

If  the  years  are  prophetic,  then  they  shall  amount 
to  360  X  1,000  =  360,000  years.  Some  maintain  that 
it  is  to  be  literally  a  thousand  years.  This,  of 
course,  would  make  an  exception  to  a  general  rule. 
If  you  ask  me,  which  is  intended  ?  I  answer  you  : 
I  do  not  know.  I  think  that  it  is  an  exception,  but 
I  have  no  reason  for  this  thought,  except  that 
360,000  years  would  be .  very  disproportionate  to 
the  other  periods  of  the  book,  and  to  what  we  ac- 
cept as  the  age  of  past  human  history.  If  it  is  to 
be  literally  a  thousand  years,  then  that  mystic 
scripture  number  "  seven  "  would  be  again  in  force, 
and  the  beginning  of  the  Millennium  might  be 
looked  for  as  6,000  years  of  the  world's  history  is 
completed.  This  would  allow  about  one  hundred 
and  forty  years  more  for  the  sounding  of  the 
Seventh  Trumpet,  and  for  the  completion  of  the 
Great  Conflict  of  principle  on  earth  ;  and  the  Mil- 
lennium would  be  the  Sabbath-time  of  the  race,  its 
long  and  blessed  period  of  rest.  Whether  this 
time  be  correct  or  not,  that  the  Millennium  shall  be 
the  world's  Sabbath  is  true  ;  and  we  shall  scarcely 
find  a  better  interpretation  of  the  symbol  than  that 
of  the  Sabbath,  God's   desii^n    of    this.       We,  then, 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  279 

should  be  at  the  Saturday-age  of  the  world,  with 
the  earnest  work  of  this  on  hand ;  with  its  busy 
and  finishing  toil  engaging  us,  yet  permitted  to  an- 
ticipate the  speedy  laying  aside  of  its  duties,  and 
the  coming  on  of  rest,  as  "  The  world's  long  week 
is  o'er." 

In  the  Great  Conflict  which  is  to  end  in  the  over- 
throw of  the  Beast  and  False  Prophet ;  indeed,  of 
every  error  and  evil  which  exalts  itself  against 
Christ  and  his  cause,  his  people  are  to  have  part. 
Clothed  in  righteousness,  and  following  the  great 
Captain  of  God's  host — riding  forth  with  the  sword 
of  truth,  we  shall  aid  in  securing  the  victory.  One 
foe,  however,  shall  remain  after  this — fierce,  subtle, 
buffeting,  warring — Satan.  He  is  to  be  manifest  not 
simply  as  the  "  dragon  " — as  embodied  in  the  pagan 
power,  or  in  the  "  beast ;  "  but  is  represented  in  all 
his  nature  and  character,  as  when  he  led  in  that 
conflict' portrayed  in  the  12th  chapter,  and  sought 
to  destroy  the  truth  and  church  of  Christ.  He  is 
called  "that  old  serpent;"  as  old  as  the  temptation 
of  man,  and  as  old  as  his  own  apostasy  from 
heaven.  To  his  personal  and  universal  subjugation 
we  are  not  seen  to  contribute ;    but,  says  John  :  "  I 


28o  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  the 
key  of  the  bottomless  pit  and  a  great  chain  in  his 
hand.  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old 
serpent,  which  is  the  Devil  and  Satan,  and  bound 
him  a  thousand  years."  Such  an  one  shall  be  re- 
quired for  the  task.  The  chain  shall  be  forged  in 
heaven,  and  be  formed  of  the  power  of  God.  With 
this,  and  not  by  human  might,  shall  Satan  be 
seized ;  and,  being  bound,  shall  be  "  cast  into  the 
bottomless  pit,  and  shut  up;  "  and  the  angel  shall 
"set  a  seal  upon  him  (or  "it,"  the  bottomless  pit) 
that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more,  till  the 
thousand  years  are  fulfilled,  and  after  that  he  must 
be  loosed  a  little  season."  Chained,  imprisoned, 
with  prison-house  sealed  as  with  the  signet  of  God 
— by  his  authority,  and  none  able  to  open  the  door, 
— this  is  the  coming  fate  of  the  devil. 

This,  then,  we  do  know  about  the  Millennium, 
that  Satan's  power  shall  cease  from  the  earth  during 
all  that  time ;  that  by  divine  means  and  energy  it 
shall  be  completely  restrained.  To  understand  all 
that  this  involves,  were  to  comprehend  the  with- 
drawal of  the  secret  source,  the  inspiration,  the  in- 
dwelling spirit,  of  the  malignant  power  of  paganism, 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  251 

popery,  and  the  false  prophet — the  mainspring  of  all 
the  cruel  opposition,  in  word  and  deed,  to  Christ 
and  his  cause.  To  realize  it,  were  to  behold  truly 
the  taking  away  of  the  prime-mover  in  all  the  wick- 
edness of  the  Jews,  and  of  men  in  all  ages  and 
times,  back  to  the  betrayal  of  man  in  Eden.  It 
means  the  arrest  and  imprisonment  of  the  chief  con- 
spirator against  the  peace  and  good  of  men  and  the 
glory  of  God.  If  the  head,  the  leader  of  organized 
crime  is  captured,  all  the  band  is  broken  and  flees ; 
and  with  satan's  seizure,  all  his  army  of  demons 
shall  betake  themselves  into  seclusion  and  inactivity. 
It  would  take  more  than  human  mind  to  grasp  and 
human  speech  to  express  the  condition  which  shall 
result  from  the  fulfillment  of  this  scripture. 

As  when  some  burning,  consuming,  blasting  fire- 
fanned,  fed,  and  fierce-winged  in  its  dreadful  sweep 
and  flight,  by  the  tempest,  goes  down  and  is  ex- 
tinguished, when  the  wind  lulls  and  dies  away ;  so 
shall  the  ravages  of  sin  be  checked  as  its  burning 
fires  are  no  longer  excited  and  impelled  by  satanic 
power.  As  some  deadly  miasm — passing  unseen 
through  the  streets,  loading  the  air  with  death ;  en- 
tering the  abodes  of  the  people,  when  even  the  doors 


252  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

open  not ;  stealing  into  the  vitals — corrupting,  with- 
ering, destroying ;  "  walking  in  darkness  and  wast- 
ing at  the  noon-day,"  is  mercifully  removed  and  the 
air  becomes  pure, — as  then,  do  fears  and  death  pass 
away  with  the  disease ;  thus  shall  it  be  when  that 
subtle  adversary  and  destroyer  is  curbed  by  the 
power  of  God,  and  his  havocs  are  restrained  upon 
earth.  Words  fail  to  do  justice  to  that  world-wide 
peace  and  blessing  which  are  to  come  as  the  dread- 
ful works  of  satan,  pressed  so  earnestly  through  the 
ages,  shall  end,  for  at  least  a  thousand  years.  Ah ! 
thou  "  serpent,"  who  hast  crept  with  thy  slimy  folds 
and  venomous  sting  into  the  world,  and  made  of 
earth  almost  a  hell ;  who  hast  glided  among  the  fair 
flowers  of  our  homes  and  left  upon  all  the  blight  of 
thy  trail ;  who  hast  penetrated  human  hearts  with 
thy  filth  and  fangs,  and  hast  marred  the  image  of 
God  and  made  men  to  be  like  thyself;  thou  enemy, 
thy  "  destructions  "  shall  cease  !  "  The  Lord  rebuke 
thee,"  thou  fell  and  foul  deceiver  and  destroyer;  as 
he  shall  bind  thee,  and,  at  last,  punish  thee  through 
eternal  ages.  We  will  rejoice  even  now  over  the 
coming  defeat  of  this  adversary,  and  heaven  itself 
shall  ring  with  gladness  because  of  it. 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  283 

This  is  not  saying  that  all  men  shall  be  true 
Christians  then.  Such  a  consummation  is  not  de- 
clared in  this  connection  ;  for  there  shall  yet  be  a 
division  in  moral  character  on  earth,  since  the 
world's  people  are  at  the  end  of  the  Millennium  to 
be  gathered  against  "  the  camp  of  the  saints  "  and 
"the  beloved  city."  But,  though  human  nature 
may  continue  to  be  essentially  the  same,  it  shall  not 
be  backed  by  satanic  influence,  and  aided  as  it  now 
is,  and  has  been,  by  the  devil ;  and  the  people  of 
Crod  shall  not  be  tempted  and  buffeted,  assailed, 
and — if  possible — deceived,  through  the  power  and 
wiles  of  the  adversary.  This  shall  make  a  vast  dif- 
ference in  the  world  and  to  the  church  of  Christ. 
If  human  depravity  shall  remain,  this  shall  be  un- 
helped  by  satan,  and  shall  not  oppose  the  church. 
The  latter  shall  have  free  course  in  all  its  work,  and 
its  triumphs  shall  not  give  way  to  defeat.  God's  spirit 
shall  not  be  hindered  in  his  operations  by  the  evil 
one,  who  now  does  his  utmost  to  prevent  revivals  of 
religion,  or  to  check  these,  or  to  destroy  their  fruits. 
This  forms  one  feature  of  the  Millennium — satan 
shall  not  be  upon  the  earth. 

As  this  is  the  most   prominent  peculiarity  of  the 


284  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

negative  side  of  the  subject,  so  is  there  a  pre- 
figurement  of  the  most  notable  positive  phase  of 
that  Sabbath-age  of  the  world.  "And  I  saw 
thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment 
was  given  unto  them ;  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them 
that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and 
for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worshiped 
the  beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  received 
his  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands  ; 
and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand 
years.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again, 
until  the  thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the 
first  resurrection.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that 
hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  :  on  such  the 
second  death  hath  no  power,  but  they  shall  be 
priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with 
him  a  thousand  years." 

The  picture  is  chiefly  that  of  a  certain  class  of 
Christians,  who  in  some  sense  shall  exercise  a 
special  power  for  the  time  given.  It  accords  with 
the  tenor  of  other  revelations,  and  displays  the 
martyrs, — the  class  personified, — taken  from  before 
the  altar  of  sacrifice,  where  they  had  been  long 
waiting  and  crying — as  it  were — to  (rod  for  deliver- 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  285 

ance,  and  thence  exalted  ;  their  desire  being  granted, 
as  God's  people  were  raised  above  persecutions  and 
henceforth  virtually  ruled  upon  earth, — were  made 
*'  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,"  and  "  reigned  with 
him  a  thousand  years."  The  period  shall,  then, 
be  one  free  from  persecution  ;  when  the  friends  of 
truth  shall  no  longer  be  subject  to  their  enemies, 
and  shall  be  unopposed  in  their  adherence  to  the 
right.  It  shall  be  as  if  the  martyrs  lived  again ; 
for  the  representation  is  pictorial,  and  is  limited  to 
this  one  kind  of  Christians.  It  is  not  declared  here 
that  the  Christian  dead  shall  come  forth  from  their 
graves ;  this  is  reserved  until  a  later  time,  but  the 
picture  is  of  d.  peculiar  type  of  piety  which  shall  pre- 
vail upon  the  earth.  The  resurrection  spoken  of 
in  this  connection  agrees  with  that  coming  to 
life  of  the  slain  witnesses  portrayed  in  the  nth 
chapter;  where,  evidently,  the  intent  was,  that  the 
spirit  oi  the  witnesses  should  live  in  the  Reformers. 
John  saw  not  the  bodies  of  the  martyrs,  but  their 
"  souls ;  "  he  did  not  see  the  souls  of  all  Christians, 
but  only  those  of  the  Christian  martyrs. 

Some    have  thought   that    the  beginning   of   the 
Millennium  shall  date  the  second  coming  of  Christ 


286  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

in  bodily  form.  But  there  is  no  symbol  or  assertion 
of  this  here.  The  Great  Conflict  we  have  viewed 
is  moral ;  the  triumph  shall  be  spiritual,  Satan, 
that  great  evil  spirit,  is  to  be  bound ;  and  the 
thrones,  and  those  who  sat  down  on  these,  present 
to  view  the  conquering  people  of  God  in  that  strife 
which  ushers  in  the  Millennial  glory,  who,  as  repre- 
sentatives of  God's  triumphant  cause,  shall  have 
supremacy  through  their  moral  power — the  force 
of  the  truth  and  of  personal  godliness;  while, the 
"  souls  of  those  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness 
of  Jesus  and  for  the  word  of  God  "  typify  a  spirit- 
ual condition.  These  live  and  reign  as  embodied 
in  those  who  share  their  disposition  ;  as  a  class,  not 
as  raised  in  body  from  the  tomb.  In  view  of  all, 
we  are  not  warranted  in  believing  that  this  reign  of 
Christ  on  the  earth  is  to  be  a  personal,  bodily 
dominion.  It  would  surely  seem  as  if  this  would 
have  been  plainly  delineated  if  it  was  to  occur.  We 
are  prone  to  make  the  mistake  which  the  Jews,  and 
even  the  Apostles,  long  cherished,  of  associating  an 
earthly  crown  with  Christ;  notwithstanding  he  has 
said  :  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world." 

The  portrait,  then,  calls   for   a   time  when  God's 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  287 

people  shall  be  distinguished  by  the  spirit  of  the 
martyrs  ;  when,  in  this  spirit  they  shall  prevail,  all 
men  and  all  nations  owning  the  power  of  their  lives 
and  words  ;  and,  when  it  shall  be  recognized  univer- 
sally that  Christ  is  "  in  them  of  a  truth."  "  Seeing 
their  boldness,"  all  men  shall  confess,  as  they  did 
of  the  Apostles,  that  "  they  have  been  with  Jesus 
and  have  learned  of  him  ;  "  and  he  shall  reign  in 
them  and  through  them,  and  they  with  him.  As  he 
shall  rule  spiritually — for  iht ''^  nations ''  shall  con- 
tinue in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth ;  so  the 
authority  of  his  people  shall  be  that  of  moral  influ- 
ence. 

The  coming  age  is  to  be  characterized  on  the 
part  of  Christians  [by  those  elements  for  which  the 
Christian  martyrs  were  noted,  as  much  as  if  these 
were  risen  from  the  dead.  These  are  celebrated 
for  devotion  to  the  truth.  This  shall  be  exalted  in 
its  purity,  and  be  the  governing  power  of  faith  and 
practice.^'  There  shall  be  no  indifference  to  error 
nor  compromise  with  this.  God's  people  shall  be 
seen  to  be  guided  by  principle^  by  the  true  princi- 
ples of  his  word  ;  above  bodily  'emotion,  subjecting 
even   physical  conditions  to  itself;   and  completely 


288  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

rejecting  all  mere  policy.  The  latter,  which  has  so 
large  a  place  in  the  workings  of  Church  as  well  as 
of  State,  of  business  and  of  social  life,  shall  be  a 
thing  unknown  in  practice  then.  If  men  will  justify 
themselves  in  this  now,  there  shall  be  no  need  of  it 
in  that  transparent  period,  when  honesty  of  thought 
and  purpose,  and  honest  allegiance  to  the  right, 
shall  meet  with  a  true  response  in  all  minds  and 
hearts.  "  Sharp  practice  "  and  self-seeking  shall  be 
banished  from  the  churches,  and  the  Denomina- 
tions shall  find  their  true  place,  and  be  in  honest, 
hearty  sympathy  and  fellowship  ;  the  basis  of  all 
being  the  true  word  of  God,  and  the  bond — the 
reigning  spirit  of  Christ.  It  shall  be  a  time  of  true 
adherence  to  Christ,  for  his  people  shall  rule  with 
him  in  fullest  accord.  The  spirit  which  led  men  to 
lay  down  their  lives  for  his  sake  shall  have  a  con- 
trolling power  in  the  hearts  of  all  his  disciples.  The 
great  truths  and  principles  for  which  the  martyrs 
died  shall  be  in  the  ascendant.  So  do  we  under- 
stand the  picture. 

"  This  is  the  first  resurrection  ;  "  that  is,  this  is 
the  nature  of  the  first  resurrection ;  it  is  to  be 
moral,   spiritual,   for    only    such   is  here    portrayed 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  289 

according  to  the  natural  interpretation  of  the 
Divine  Pictures.  Only  one  other  passage  of  scrip- 
ture speaks  of  some  rising  first;  i  Thess.  4:  16: 
"  The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first."  But,  from 
the  connection,  the  meaning  is  that  the  dead  shall 
rise  before  the  bodies  of  the  saints,  who  are  alive  at 
the  sounding  of  the  last  "  trump  of  God,"  shall  be 
changed.  That  part  of  i  Cor.  15,  which  presents 
the  truth  of  the  resurrection  of  God's  people,  is 
not  followed  by  a  declaration  that  after  this  the 
wicked  shall  be  raised;  but  it  is  said  that  "then 
cometh  the  end,"  all  reference  to  the  resurrection 
of  the  unjust  being  omitted,  as  the  specific  object 
was  to  comfort  Christians  in  view  of  their  own 
resurrection.  Peculiarly  "  blessed  and  holy  " 
shall  they  be  who  have  part  in  the  first  resurrec- 
tion ;  on  such,  indeed,  "  the  second  death  hath  no 
power  " — that  death  the  nature  of  which  is  after- 
ward described. 

It  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  none  of  the 
righteous  shall  die  the  natural  death  during  the 
Millennial  period.  They,  as  a  class,  are  to  reign 
with  Christ,  but  they  are  not  made  up  of  any  cer- 
tain individuals  to  whom  is  to  be  granted  an  ante- 
19 


290  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

diluvian  age  ;  as  if  those  persons  who  are  alive  at 
the  commencement  of  the  Millennium  shall  have  an 
earthly  existence  of  ten  centuries.  That  God 
could  make  them  live  physically  a  thousand  years, 
is  true  ;  but  it  is  not  a  question  of  his  power,  so 
much  as  of  the  revelation  of  his  purpose.  Even 
now,  as  said  Wesley :  "  God  buries  his  workmen, 
but  he  carries  on  his  work;"  and,  though  during 
the  Millennium  his  servants  may  die,  Christ's  reign 
in  his  people  shall  continue.  The  promise  is  not 
that  the  first  death,  but  that  the  "  second,"  shall 
have  no  power  over  them.  It  is  only  after  the 
general  resurrection  that  death  shall  be  destroyed, 
and  this  is  pictured  further  along,  and  is  placed 
subsequent  to  the  unloosing  of  Satan  again,  and 
after  the  promulgation  of  the  fiats  of  the  Judgment. 
Here — in  connection  with  the  Millennium — comes 
in  the  passage  which  forms  a  part  of  that  general, 
symbolic,  summary  of  events  given  in  the  14th 
chapter  of  Revelation  and  reaching  forward  to  the 
spiritual  fall  of  Babylon,  to  the  long  Sabbath  of 
rest,  and  to  the  reaping  time  of  the  moral  world  : 
"  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  frovi 
henceforth  :    yea,  saith  the   spirit,  that  they  may  rest 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  29  I 

from  their  labors;  and  their  works  do  follow  them." 
Dying,   they   leave   not   their   "works,"  or  sorrows 
through     trial — the     meaning     here    of     the    terms 
"  labors  "    and   "  works  " — upon   the    earth  ;     these 
do  follow  them  into   the  grave,  for  the  true  render- 
ing of  the  scripture   is,  that  these  works  do  "  follow 
with  them."     God's  people   now   die,  but  the  same 
trials  they  endure   continue  to   live;    not   so,  then. 
Physical  suffering   may   be   undergone   and  human 
anguish    be    felt,    but    spiritual    trial    shall    not    go 
forward  as  in  the   present.      The   idea  that  all  pain 
and   sorrow   are    to    be    absent   is   not    given ;   this 
blessed    experience    is    reserved    for    still    another 
period,  as  indicated  in  the  21st  and  2 2d  chapters. 
But  blessed,   indeed,  that  time  when  Satan,  whose 
ravages  are   worse   than   disease,   shall   be  removed 
from  the  earth,  and  a  Sabbath  benediction  shall  rest 
upon  the  church  and  the  world.       Hasten  ye  hands 
of  Time  to  lay  hold  of  the  mystic  bells  which  shall 
chime  in  the  glory  of  that  blessed  day  of  the  Lord ! 
War  shall  then  be  unknown,  and  all  human  discord 
cease.     We  dig  now,  from  old  battle  fields,  weapons 
and  missiles  of  past  conflicts,  and  place  them  in  our 
cabinets  as  curious  relics  of  other  and — it  may  be — 


292  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

barbarous  days;  and  we  contrast  them  with  modern 
implements  of  war,  noting  the  improvement  of  fire- 
arms— the  improved  power  and  skill  of  destroying 
human  life  ;  but  what  an  awful  mark  of  progress 
and  of  advancing  civilization !  with  only  the  com- 
pensating feature,  that,  because  the  means  of  de- 
struction are  more  effective  than  heretofore,  hostili- 
ties may  sooner  be  ended.  But  in  that  coming  age, 
armaments  shall  be  practically  unknown.  As  from 
old  scenes  of  carnage — old  then,  familiar  now — 
rusty  rifle  and  cannon  and  sword,  the  bullet  and 
broken-shell,  are  unearthed,  these  shall  be  both 
curiosities  and  matters  of  wonderment ;  the  surprise 
being  that  man  should  ever,  especially  in  times  of 
boasted  Christian  civilization,  have  resorted  to  so 
cruel  and  unnatural  a  mode  of  redressing  grievances 
or  settling  disputes  as  bloodshed,  that  the  necessity 
for  this  should  ever  have  been  urged.  "  They  shall 
beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their 
spears  into  pruninghooks  :  nation  shall  not  lift  up 
sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war 
any  more.  O  house  of  Jacob,  come  ye,  and  let  us 
walk  in  the  light  of  the  Lord,"  shall  be  the  language 
of  the  people. 


'IHE    MILLENNIUM.  293 

But  even  this  long  day  of  light  and  splendor  is  to 
have  its  evening.  Human  nature  on  the  earth,  un- 
redeemed, is  to  ripen  in  its  sinfulness  toward  a  re- 
volt against  Christ  and  his  church.  Probably  by  a 
growing  aversion  to  the  blessings  of  peace  even  ; 
chafing  more  and  more  against  the  truth ;  weary  of 
the  power  of  godliness — taught  and  lived — which 
restrained  them,  the  nations  are  prepared  for  the 
coming  forth  once  more  of  the  arch-enemy  of  God 
and  man.  Oh  !  how  he  leaps  in  his  black  passion 
from  the  dark  pit,  and,  with  links  of  the  chain  yet 
clinging  to  him,  speeds  over  the  world ;  and,  among 
those  who  are  ready  to  do  his  bidding,  practices  his 
deceptive  arts !  The  ungodly  who  have  failed  to 
repent,  even  under  the  unhindered  blessings  of  the 
gospel ;  who  could  not  even  say :  "  The  serpent 
beguiled  me,  and  I  did  eat,"  now — utterly  beyond 
hope — come  beneath  his  power,  and  are  organized 
into  a  mighty  column,  and  are  hurled  in  one  des- 
perate charge  against  the  "  camp  of  the  saints  "  and 
the  "beloved  city."  Only  for  a  brief  season  does 
this  last  great  battle  continue.  The  assault  is 
rolled  back  in  confusion  and  utter  disaster;  for 
"  fire  came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  de- 


294  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

\'oared  them.  And  the  devil  that  deceived  tht;m 
was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where 
the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be 
tormented  day  and  night  forever," 

Now  are  given  pictures  of  the  Resurrection,  of 
the  Judgment,  and  of  the  Final  Condition  of  im- 
penitent, unsaved  souls. 

John  "  saw  a  great  white  throne,"  greater  than  all 
the  thrones  of  earth  ;  for  it  was  the  throne  of  the 
Ruler  and  Judge  of  the  universe ;  white  in  its 
purity,  and  unspotted  in  its  holiness  and  justice. 
He  "  saw  him  that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the 
earth  and  the  heaven  fled  ;  and  there  was  found  no 
place  for  them."  The  vision  is  of  the  exalted 
glory  of  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  before  the  light 
of  whose  majesty  all  else  is  lost  sight  of,  as  the  stars 
go  out  before  the  sun,  rising  in  its  splendor ;  so 
fleeing  from  sight.  "  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small 
and  great,  stand  before  God  :  and  the  books  were 
opened:  and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the 
book  of  life;  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of 
those  things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  ac- 
cording to  their  works.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the 
dead    which    were   in    it  ;    and    death    and   hell    (or 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  295 

hades)  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them  : 
and  they  were  judged  every  man  according  to  their 
works.  And  death  and  hell  (or  hades)  were  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  second  death. 
And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book 
of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire." 

It  'js  certain  that  this  scene  takes  in  the  whole 
world  in  all  the  centuries.  If  we  question  about 
some  of  the  words,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
language  exhibits  all  men,  in  all  time,  as  now  ap- 
pearing before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.  Souls 
small  and  great  stand  before  God,  the  souls  of 
the  dead  as  well  as  of  those  living  on  earth 
when  the  judgment  day  comes.  Whether  the 
persons  had  been  buried  in  the  sea,  or,  unburied, 
had  withered  and  crumbled  to  dust  under  the 
power  of  death, — all,  shall  stand  before  God. 
Doubtless,  all  the  New  Testament  teachings  of  the 
resurrection  here  come  into  force.  The  symbol  is 
of  the  universality  of  the  Judgment.  All  are  made 
to  appear  in  the  presence  of  the  great  white  throne  ; 
however  or  wherever  they  had  died  and  been 
buried,  or  though  unburied.  It  would  seem  from 
the    double  representation    in    the   12th    and    13th 


296  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

verses  as  if  Inspiration  would  guard  us  against  the 
thought  that  the  souls  of  the  dead  came  from  the 
grave;  for  death  but  yielded  its  power — as  over 
God's  saints;  and  the  wicked,  in  "hades" — in  the 
underworld,  not  in  the  grave  (as  Dr.  Craven  so  ably 
and  satisfactorily  demonstrates  in  his  Excursus  on 
Hades,  which  forms  one  of  the  most  valuable  parts 
of  Lange  on  Revelation,)  came  forth.  Soul  and 
body  are  embraced  in  this  picture  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion and  Judgment;  this  world — land  and  sea — 
delivering  up  the  body,  death  surrendering  its 
power;  and  the  other  world  sending  forth  its  occu- 
pants. 

"  The  books  were  opened  " — those  great  statutes 
by  which  the  world  shall  be  judged.  The  Judg- 
ment shall  be  '"''out  of  those  things  which  were  written 
in  the  books ,  according  to  their  works''  The  great 
volume  of  God's  law  and  of  his  gospel — of  his 
entire  word — shall  be  unfolded ;  the  book  of 
Providence  shall  be  spread  forth  ;  and,  also,  the 
book  of  conscience.  These  shall  be  the  standards 
by  which  we  shall  be  measured.  If  men  will  say  : 
The  Law  of  God  was  so  searching  we  could  not 
keep    this,    then    shall    they    be    convicted    of    sin 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  297 

because  they  believed  not  on  Christ  (John,  i6:  9.)  If 
they  will  plead  that  they  had  neither  the  one  nor  the 
other,  then  shall  they  be  judged  according  "  to  the 
things  that  are  made,"  which  might  have  declared 
to  them  "the  invisible  things  of  God" — by  the 
standard  of  God's  goodness  in  nature  and  provi- 
dence. Moreover,  their  own  consciences  shall  be  a 
law  unto  them.  By  these  things,  "  according  to 
their  works " — not  their  creeds,  shall  men  be 
judged.  It  shall  then  appear  that  the  whole  world 
has  sinned,  and  this  shall  stand  convicted  by  the 
lowest  as  well  as  highest  rules  of  judgment. 
Certainly,  justice  shall  be  done  by  him  who  sits 
upon  "the  great  white  throne;  "  it  shall  be  meted 
out  to  every  person,  for  the  ordeal  shall  be  personal ; 
we  shall  be  tried  as  individuals,  and  not  in  the 
mass. 

"  Another  book  was  opened."  If  all,  as  weighed  in 
the  divine  balances,  are  found  wanting;  if  all  shall 
be  unable  to  meet — with  their  "  works  " — the  test 
of  God's  law,  or  to  endure  even  the  light  of  his 
goodness  and  of  their  own  consciences,  how  shall 
any  be  saved }  This  shall  be  determined  not  by 
the  good  deeds  we   have   done,  offsetting   the  evil ; 


2gS  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

not  by  the  plea  that  we  have  done  as  best  we  knew 
— for  who  has  thus  acted  ?  who  has  not  gone  con- 
trary to  his  own  judgment  of  right;  and,  while 
approving  the  right  in  thought,  principle,  word  and 
deed,  practiced  the  wrong?  The  question  on 
which  shall  turn  our  acquittal  at  the  bar  of  God,  in 
that  great  day,  shall  be:  Are  they  "written  in  the 
book  of  life  " — "  the  Lamb's  book  of  life  ?  "  Have 
they  become  his  by  the  renouncement  of  sin 
and  self-righteousness,  and  by  humble,  true,  heart- 
belief  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ?  in  him  as  the 
Lamb  of  God  who  taketh  away  sin  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself?  It  is  faith  in  the  atoning 
Savior,  which,  according  to  all  the  teachings  of  his 
word,  secures  a  place  for  our  name  in  the  book  of 
life.  Even  his  justice  shall  unite  with  his  mercy  in 
favor  of  such  ;  for  the  word  is  :  "  If  we  confess  our 
sins  he  is  faithful  and  yV/j-/  to  forgive  us  our  sins  and 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness."  The  name 
truly  inscribed  in  the  book  of  life  is  the  proof  that 
the  person  has  obeyed  the  gospel ;  and  God,  in 
covenant  faithfulness,  as  in  infinite  grace,  shall  save. 
Perchance,  the  sins  of  God's  people,  forgiven  and 
remembered   no   more  by   him,   shall   not  appear  ai 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  299 

the  judgment;  for  they  have  "gone  before  unto 
judgment,"  and  the  only  thing  that  may  be  de- 
termind,  before  the  assembled  universe,  is,  whether 
we  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 

Dreadful  the  punishment  of  the  wicked,  of  the 
impenitent,  the  unsaved  I  'If  you  will  personify 
Death  and  the  Under-world,  and  say  that  these, 
rather  than  their  evil  contents — which  latter  I  be- 
lieve" to  be  intended— are  to  be  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire,  which  lake  of  fire  is  the  second  death;  that 
death  and  hades  are  to  give  place  to  the  second 
death,  to  Gehenna,  which  shall  be  the  only  death 
thereafter  having  power ;  yet,  how  fearful  this  !  for 
it  is  the  death  that  never  relents,  never  dies : 
"  Their  worm  dieth  not  and  the  fire  is  not 
(juenched."  "And  whosoever  was  not  found 
written  in  the  book  of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire." 

Doubtless,  this  is  a  symbol ;  yet  what  does  it  call 
for  .^  For  the  most  grievous  realities,  for  an  anguish 
as  keen  to  the  soul  as  a  lake  of  fire  to  the  body ; 
moreover,  tor  a  fire  that  burns  without  destroying, 
Avhich,  with  the  tormented  spirit,  endures  forever. 
As  fire  is  ener2;v  connected  with  chemical  svnthesis ; 


300  THE    MILLENNIUM. 

SO,  the  fires  into  which  the  impenitent  shall  be  cast, 
shall  be  the  violent,  fierce,  dreadful  workings  of  sin 
upon  the  soul,  the  conscience  and  heart  being 
burned  with  it  forever  and  ever.  Thus  does  the 
word  of  the  loving  God  teach.  Jesus  announced 
pre-eminently — in  love,' we  know — the  awful  truth; 
declaring  it  because  it  is  a  truth,  and  that  we  might 
be  warned  against  the  reality  and  be  led,  or  driven, 
to  seek  safety  in  himself. 

Think  of  the  company  among  which  the  unsaved 
shall  be  hurled  ;  aye,  the  impenitent  from  Christian 
lands,  from  Christian  homes,  from  Christian  sanctu-^ 
aries — shall  it  be,  also,  false  professors  from  Christian 
churches  1 — with  names  on  church  records  but  not 
"  written  in  heaven  .?  "  "  The  devil  that  deceived 
them  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone, 
where  the  beast  and  false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be 
tormented  day  and  night  forever  and  ever."  All 
that  is  dreadful  and  distressing  about  "  death  "  and 
"  hades  " — the  present  abode  of  the  impenitent 
dead — shall  be  there ;  for  these  were,  also,  thrown 
into  the  lake  of  fire.  Fearful  symbol  of  justice ! 
awful  picture  of  the  dread  consequences  and  penalty 
of  sin,  and  of  impenitence   and   unbelief  in  Christ ! 


THE    MILLENNIUM.  30I 

*'  This  is   the   second   death  " — the  suffering  of  the 
lake  of  fire. 

Who  would  choose  it  .'*  who,  for  the  pleasures  of 
sin  for  a  season,  would  go  to  such  a  place,  to  dwell 
amid  such  horrid  company — with  a  devil  in  tor- 
ment, and  with  the  quenchless  fuel  of  sin  to  send 
forth  its  fiery  arms  to  wrap  about  the  soul  forever 
and  forever  ? 

Yet  such  shall  be  your  portion  if  you  refuse  or 
neglect  to  be  placed  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 
Do  you  not  see,  then,  why  we  urge  you  to  repent 
and  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.?  why,  what- 
ever gospel  subject  we  bring  before  you,  we  come 
to  this  one  point.  Sabbath  by  Sabbath,  "  Believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.?" 
*'  By  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  we  persuade  "  you. 
Not  that  we  always  use  these ;  but  they  are  con- 
tinually present  to  us,  even  when  we  plead  his  love 
with  you.  Oh!  come  to  Christ  by  faith  now! 
The  Lamb's  book  of  eternal  life  is  open.  He  is 
ready  to  name  you  among  the  saved  ones.  Like 
Bunyan's  warrior,  who,  with  eye  upon  the  Beautiful 
Palace,  said  to  the  keeper  of  the  door  :  "  Set  down 
my  name,  sir!  "  and  then  pressed  forward  and  strove 


302  THE    MILLKXXIUM. 

to  enter  ;  so,  be  it  yours  to  pray,  Set  clown  my  name, 
Lord  !  and  then  gird  you  for  the  Christian  life  and 
conflict,  and  urge  your  way  onward  in  this,  by 
divine  help,  toward  the  great  white  throne  and  the 
eternal  life  and  glory  beyond. 


XI. 

Revelation^  Chapters  21,  22. 

^^HE  resplendent  pictures  of  the  last  two  chap- 
^Q^^  ters  of  Revelation  need  to  be  viewed  beside 
the  entire  group  of  Divine  Pictures,  and  to  be  studied 
in  connection  with  the  whole  Bible.  Whatever  the 
things  depicted,  they  are  evidently  those  toward 
which  the  Patriarchs  looked  hopefully ;  for  "  they 
looked  for  a  city  that  hath  foundations,  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God."  The  vision  of 
Prophets  rested  upon  them,  as  they  gazed  through 
the  mist  and  darkness  of  the  ages  relieved  by  the 
far  off  splendors  of  the  city  of  God.  Apostles 
were  wont  to  say  :  "  We,  according  to  his  promise, 
look  for  new  heavens  and  a  vl^^^-  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness."  To  John  was  granted  the 
the  fuller  vision  of  the  coming  glory ;  while  we  are 
permitted  to  take  by  faith  a  nearer  view  of  this  than 
all  God's  people  gone  before. 


304  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

As  the  symbols  of  the  Resurrection,  the  Judg- 
ment, and  the  last  state  of  the  wicked,  were  given, 
it  remained  in  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  spread  before  us  portraitures  luminous 
with  the  blessedness  of  the  final  condition  of  his 
people.  Such  do  we  now  view  in  this  closing 
lecture  of  our  course. 

The  last  chapters  of  Revelation  have  been  long 
thought  to  present  a  picture  of  heaven  as  such ;  but 
I  think  you  will  conclude  from  a  careful  observa- 
tion that  this  is  not  the  primary,  specific,  thing 
described.  The  emblem  is  rather  of  the  final 
surroundings  and  condition  of  the  church  of  Christ. 
These  shall,  indeed,  be  heavenly ;  but  the  descrip- 
tion is  limited  almost  wholly  of  redeemed  men 
The  only  representation  of  angels  is  where  these 
appear  as  the  guardians  of  the  gates  of  the  city.  If 
the  scene  is  heaven,  it  is  so  only  in  its  relations  to 
God's  glorified  people.  Hence,  I  have  chosen  as 
the  subject  to-night,  not  Heaven ;  but  the  special 
things  delineated — The  Redeemed  World  and 
Glorified  Church. 

I.  First,  a  7£/^/-A/ beaming  with  fresh  beauty  rolls 
before  the  vision  of  the  soul.      This  new  world  is 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  305 

not  necessarily  another  world  than  this  ;  for  after- 
ward, when  John  was  carried  in  spirit  as  to  a  ''  great 
and  high  mountain  " — apparently  of  this  world,  he 
saw  descending  upon  this  the  New  Jerusalem.  In 
the  first  five  verses  of  the  21st  chapter  a  general 
view  is  given ;  a  symbol  comprehending  almost  all 
that  followed,  shone  forth.  This  indicates  the 
future  circumstances  or  abode  of  the  church  of 
Christ,  fully  "  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her 
husband ; "  and  reveals  the  condition  of  the  whole 
world,  which  shall  be  occupied  only  by  the  saints. 
What  is  that  world.?  and.  Where  is  it.?  are  ques- 
tions which  shall  always  remain  in  doubt  to  the 
human  mind,  even  to  the  minds  of  God's  people, 
until  the  likeness  shall  be  exchanged  for  the  reality. 
That  it  shall  be  a  definite  world,  is  certain ;  for 
"earth,"  as  well  as  "heaven,"  represents  it.  It  ap- 
peared as  "a  new  heaven  arid  a  new  earthy  Are 
we  to  understand  that  it  is  to  be  a  world  newly 
created  ?  or,  shall  it  be  the  present  earth  renovated, 
having  passed  through  great  changes  which  would 
fit  it  for  human  beings,  also  changed  in  their  bodily 
conditions  1  and,  is  the  great  design  of  the  symbol 
20 


3oC  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

to  present  the  idea  of  a  new  order  of  things?  God 
speaking  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  of  '*  the  new 
heavens  and  the  new  earth  "  which  he  should  make, 
and  which  should  "  remain  "  before  him,  doubtless 
foretells  a  new  condition  of  things  on  this  earth ; 
and  the  prophecy  seems  to  be  of  the  same  glories 
pictured  in  the  last  Revelation.  If  this  is  the 
meaning  of  the  scripture — that  this  earth  is  to  pass 
through  another  transformation,  as  geologists  affirm 
to  be  intimated  by  the  present  state  of  the  globe, 
and  so  to  be  fitted  for  glorified  men  ;  then  the 
strong  language  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  in  his  second 
Epistle,  third  chapter,  declares  not  a  complete 
destruction,  but  a  great  transition,  and  is,  moreover, 
symbolical  of  an  altered  aspect  of  things  morally ; 
for  to  his  mind  the  marked  feature  of  ''  the  new 
heavens  and  new  earth  "  was,  that  therein  sliould 
dwell  "  righteousness." 

In  harmony  with  this  are  the  words  of  Paul  : 
"  For  we  know  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth 
and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now."  "The 
earnest  expectation  .of  the  creature  waitetli  for  the 
manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God."  "The  creature 
itself  shall  be   delivered   from   the  bondage  of  cor- 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  307 

ruption  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of 
God  :  "  our  bodily  natures  shall  be  placed,  at  the 
resurrection,  beyond  the  power  of  decay  or  death  ; 
and  "we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves  waiting 
for  the  adoption;  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our 
body."  But  more  than  this  is  true:  the  ''''whole 
creation  "  longs  for  that  time,  when  it,  too,  shall  be 
changed ;  when  its  mixed  character  of  good  and  ill 
shall  give  place  to  only  good ;  as  with  painful  birth- 
cries  does  it  await  deliverance  from  its  present  state 
and  its  entrance  upon  a  higher  order  of  good.  The 
earth,  as  it  now  exists,  is  eminently,  in  its  very 
material  workings,  a  world  of  probation  and 
struggle,  adapted  to  men  in  like  moral  as  physical 
conditions;  but  the  hope  is  given — at  least 
intimated — that  the  very  globe  and  universe  shall 
be  transformed  into  a  theatre  of  only  favoring 
forces,  and,  like  the  glorified  bodies  of  God's 
people,  be  clothed  upon  with  immortality.  Just 
how  the  change  may  be  effected,  we  know  not ; 
except,  by  the  power  of  God,  and,  it  may  be, 
through  the  agency  of  fire — through  new  chemical 
combinations  to  whicli  matter  is,  doubtless,  sus- 
ceptible.      In   what    form    the    earth    should    then 


3o8  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

appear,  we  cannot  tell,  because  this  is  not  pictured ; 
it  is  only  disclosed  that  all  the  ill  which  mars  it  in 
the  present  shall  be  forever  absent  in  that  future 
and  final  state,  and  that  the  change  shall  be  so 
great  as  to  be  virtually  a  new  creation. 

Astronomers  reason  that  if  there  is  intelligent 
life  on  some  of  the  other  planets  of  our  solar 
system,  it  must  be  diverse  in  its  material  combina- 
tions from  life  here,  owing  to  difference  in  the 
density  of  the  worlds  and  their  nearness  to  the  sun, 
or  remoteness  from  this.  It  were  possible  for 
human  beings  to  be  constituted  otherwise  than  we 
are ;  and,  moreover,  for  the  human  race  to  be  so 
transfigured  as  to  be  adapted  to  a  sea-less  world, 
which  is  to  be  a  characteristic  of  the  "  new 
heaven"  and  the  "new  earth."  But  that  "there 
was  no  more  sea  "  seen  in  this,  may  be  symbolic 
only  of  the  absence  of  all  those  things  we  associate 
in  our  minds  with  the  ocean — uncertainty,  instabil- 
ity, turmoil,  division,  among  men,  the  world  over. 
Now  the  sea  occupies  a  large  place  in  the  economy 
of  nature — useful  now,  not  needed  then  ;  useful 
now,  yet  how  uncertain,  how  treacherous,  how- 
dreadful ! — surging  between  the  nations  and  divid- 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  309 

ing  human  lives;  sobbing  ceaselessly  on  the  shore, 
as  if  having  part  in  the  agony  of  human  life  ;  and 
tossed,  oh,  how  fearfully,  as  in  the  mad  strife  of  the 
world ;  and  shrieking  wild  paeans  over  the  wrecked 
whom  it  buries  in  the  pitiless  waters.  But  there 
shall  be  no  sea  in  the  new  heavens  and  the  new 
earth. 

If  it  is  true  that  in  some  form  this  earth  is  to 
continue,  as  the  bodies  of  God's  people,  raised  and 
transformed  by  his  almighty  power,  are  to  become 
immortal  like  the  soul ;  then  a  grander  destiny  is 
before  matter  than  we  have  so  far  beheld.  It  cer- 
tainly would  appear  as  if  this  great  and  wondrous 
universe  of  worlds  was  formed  for  more  than  a 
transient  mission,  reaching  through  the  few 
thousand  years  of  human  history  and  of  man's 
apostasy;  as  if  it  might  serve  purposes  extending 
to  all  eternity.  With  wisdom,  and  power,  and 
goodness  infinitely  above  our  comprehension — 
though  the  conceptions  we  now  have  overwhelm  us 
with  wonder  and  delight — did  God  arrange  this  earth, 
through  countless  millions  of  years,  to  be  the 
residence  of  man  as  he  now  is ;  and  again  could 
the  Almighty  change  this   world  and  re-adapt  man, 


3IO  THE    REEDEMED    WORLD 

saved,  to  this.  I  am  sure  that  the  future  and  final 
abode  of  the  redeemed,  whatever  it  is  or  wherever 
it  is,  shall  manifest  God's  glory  as  fully  as  this 
earth,  more  brightly  than  the  heavens  and  earth  as 
these  now  are;  that  it  shall  be  worthy  of  God  and 
most  blessed  to  his  people  ;  the  glory  "  revealed  in 
us,"  be  in  harmony  with  the  glory  revealed  to  us, 
the  one  the  reflection  of  the  other. 

There  may  be  danger  of  too  greatly  literalizing 
these  symbols;  and  we  must  bear  in  mind  the 
scripture,  having  direct  reference  to  the  final  form 
of  the  bodies  of  the  saints,  which  declares  that 
"  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  that  "this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorrup- 
tion,  and  this  mortal  put  on  immortality,  and  we  all 
be  changed  "  before  we  shall  enter  fully  upon  the 
new  heaven  and  the  earth.  This  transition  shall  be 
akin  to  that  through  which  Christ's  body  passed 
as  he  ascended  to  heaven,  and  which  spiritualiza- 
tion  he  could  work  at  will  when  upon  the  earth. 
Certainly,  that  world  shall  be  a  7'eality  ;  and  though 
the  earth  which  now  is  should  not  in  any  form  enter 
into  it,  the  gain  should  far  outweigh  the  loss.  If  pres- 
ent material  shall  be  transmitted,  what  we  now  see — 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  311 

however  glorious — is,  in  comparison  with  the  other, 
only  as  the  seed-corn  beside  the  harvest,  the  bud 
in  contrast  with  the  blossom  and  ripened  fruit; 
then,  all-  those  grand  similes  of  the  apostle,  in  i 
Cor.:  15th  chapter,  relating  to  the  resurrected  and 
immortalized  body,  would  apply  with  equal  force 
to  the  globe  itself.  If  the  terms  "earth"  and 
'*  heavens "  are  used  as  symbols  only,  they,  at 
least,  serve  to  exhibit  a  positive  place  as  the  final 
home  of  the  redeemed,  a  place  as  real  as  this  earth, 
and  to  which  the  "natural  body"  "raised  a  spirit- 
ual body  "  shall  be  conformed.  I  am  not  sure  that 
we  would  not  be  satisfied  without  the  forms  of 
beauty  which  prevail  here.  How  few  look  upon,  or 
know  anything  about,  or  at  all  appreciate  these,  yet 
are  they  good  people,  even  most  earnest  Christians ; 
while  we  who  know  them,  whose  minds  have  been 
instructed  about  them,  and  who  truly  and  fervently 
admire  them,  do  not  find  full  satisfaction  in  them  ; 
even  here  and  now  do  we  experience  higher  good 
and  greater  joy  than  are  to  be  derived  from  them. 
We  are  not  ready  to  fall  down  and  worship  the 
natural  world;  nor  yet  do  we  feel  or  believe  that 
we  could  not  be  perfectly  content  and  happy  with- 


312  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

out  this,  especially  in  a  world  whose  spiritual 
glories,  though  differing  wholly  from  natural 
splendors  of  form,  and  line  and  color,  of  sky  and 
clouds,  of  earth  and  mountains,  of  vegetation  and 
water,  should  far  exceed  these. 

There  are  two  things  positively  set  forth.  The 
first  is,  that  the  new  heavens  and  earth  shall  be  the 
peculiar  and  special  abode  of  the  glorified  church  of 
Christ.  Made  ready  for  this,  the  church  shall 
"  come  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  adorned  as  a 
bride  for  her  husband;  "  this,  after  the  words  have 
been  spoken  :  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  " — prepared 
in  the  purpose  of  God,  as  revealed  by  prophets  and 
apostles,  and  the  very  words  of  Jesus — "  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world."  It  is  not  said  that  the 
church  goes  up  to  heaven,  but  that  it  "  cotiies  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven  j  "  the  whole  idea  being  of 
a  special  place  arranged  for  God's  people,  and 
these  made  ready  for  that  place,  the  one  to  be  the  * 
counterpart  of  the  other.  That  "  men "  are  to 
occupy  it,  and  that  the  "  nations "  still  appear, 
represents  an  arrangement  of  glorified  human  life 
not  wholly   unforeshadowed   now.       All  things  are 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  313 

made  new  in  character,  but  the  society  of  the  saints 
still  remains  society.  The  other  thing  is  the  holy 
and  blessed  co7tditio7i  of  the  new  earth  when  pos- 
sessed by  God's  people.  "  I  heard  a  great  voice 
out  of  heaven,  saying,  Behold  the  tabernacle  of 
God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and 
they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be 
with  them,  and  be  their  God."  This  is  Paradise 
more  than  regained  ;  for  God  comes  down  to  the 
renewed  earth,  here  to  make  his  tabernacle,  here  to 
"  dwell " — not  in  types,  not  only  in  promises  and 
ordinances  ;  but  "  God  himself  shall  be  with  them." 
All  this  is  to  be  on  the  new  earth,  and  is  to  be  the 
universal  experience  of  men,  of  his  redeemed  and 
glorified  people. 

As  if  to  do  away  with  the  thoughts  or  fears  which 
might  arise,  because  the  future  home  of  his  people 
is  called  an  "  earth,"  thus  associating  our  present 
life  experiences  with  it,  the  assurance  is  given  that 
none  of  the  trying  features  of  our  mortal  existence 
shall  be  there  known.  For  "  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes;  and  there  shall  be  no 
more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain ;   for  the  former  things  are 


314  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

])assed  away.  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne 
said,  Behold,  I  make  all  things  new."  Take  these 
things  from  the  earth, — take  sorrow,  and  trial,  and 
pain,  and  death,  and  with  these,  the  curse  of  sin 
and  the  workings  of  Satan  and  all  evil  forces  ;  and 
place  in  their  stead  an  ever  and  fully  present  God, 
continually  manifesting  himself  in  the  person  of  his 
dear  Son,  leading  us  to  living  fountains  of  water 
forever :  and  this  earth,  even  as  it  now  is,  would  be 
transformed  into  Eden,  into  heaven ;  for  it  is  a 
wondrous  earth,  operated  even  by  divine  laws. 
Thus  renovated,  with  the  sundered  bonds  of  life 
re-united,  the  loved  Christian  dead  restored  to  us, 
we  should  be  willing  to  live  here  eternally.  But 
add  to  this  such  a  changed  constitution  of  the  earth 
and  of  our  natures — our  physical  nature,  which  is 
as  much  a  part  of  us,  as  human  beings,  as  our  spir- 
itual— as  to  free  us  from  gross  bodily  conditions; 
and  more  than  our  loftiest  imaginings  have  shaped 
would  await  us  as  the  people  of  God;  then,  a  world 
answering  to  all  the  promises  and  prophecies,  and 
symbolic  representations,  would  turn  in  its  endless 
orbit  about  the  throne  of  God. 

Thus    far    has    been    given    to  us   the    sum    and 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  315 

substance  of  the  closing  and  glorious  symbols  of 
the  book  of  Revelation  ;  for  Jesus  said  :  "  Write ; 
for  these  words  are  true  and  faithful.  And  he  said 
unto  me,  //  is  done  " — the  thing  is  completed,  the 
Revelation  is  virtually  made,  and  the  consummation 
of  Time  and  of  his  grace  has  been  pictured.  "  I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,"  who 
could  speak  authoritatively  of  these  things;  and 
who,  abiding  forever,  shall  bring  them  to  pass. 

Promise  and  warning  are  then  pronounced  :  "  He 
that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  t/iings,  and  I  will 
be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son."  Shall  we  not 
seek  to  overcome  our  own  evil  natures,  the  world, 
and  Satan  }  So,  even  by  striving,  by  pressing  for- 
ward in  the  Christian  warfare  }  "  All  things  "  in 
the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth  ;  it  may  be,  in  the 
great  universe  of  worlds,  shall  be  within  our  reach ; 
and  the  saints,  with  bodies  "  fashioned  like  unto 
Christ's  glorious  body  " — independent  of  the  larws 
of  gravitation  or  even  in  harmony  with  these — may 
mount  up  into  the  heavens,  as  did  Jesus  in  his 
glorified  body,  and  move  from  world  to  world  in 
his  vast  domains.  This  thought  is  justified  by 
scenes   in    the    life    of    Jesus, — by  his  transfigured 


3l6  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

glory,  his  walking  upon  the  sea  of  Galilee,  as  well 
as  by  his  ascension  ;  and  by  the  appearance  of  Moses 
and  Elias  upon  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration.  The 
idea  is  sanctioned,  by  the  manifestation  of  the 
angels  of  God  upon  the  earth  in  the  past.  If  any 
will  doubt  as*to  these  things,  none  may  question  as 
to  the  exceeding  glory  and  blessedness  of  the  con- 
dition itself,  whatever  or  wherever  be  the  place 
portrayed.  The  inheritance  of  "  all  things  "  shall 
be  as  glorious  as  the  infinite  wisdom  and  power  and 
love  of  the  Lord  God  and  his  Christ  can  make  it ; 
it  shall  be  the  perfection  of  the  expression  of  God's 
grace  and  love  in  Christ.  For  his  sake,  in  reward 
of  his  work  and  worth,  shall  all  this  be  ours  as  his 
humble  disciples.  Though  "  it  does  not  yet  appear 
what  we  shall  be  " — though  we  see  nothing  now 
which  fully  expresses  it — "  we  know  that  when  he 
shall  appear  we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see 
him  as  he  is  ;  "  and  all  our  surroundings  shall  be 
in  harmony  with  this  exalted  state. 

"  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abomi- 
nable, and  murderers,  and  whore-mongers,  and 
sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their 
part  in  the  lake  which   burneth  with  fire  and  brim- 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  317 

Stone  :  which  is  the  second  death."  As  dreadful 
the  contrast  with  what  has  just  gone  before,  as  God 
and  Satan,  holiness  and  sin,  reward  and  punish- 
ment, life  and  death ;  and  all  these  things  are  true. 
If  set  forth,  in  great  part,  in  pictures,  these  are 
less  than  the  realities  as  the  shadow  is  less  than 
the  substance. 

II.  It  would  seem  as  if  a  desire  had  sprung  up  in 
the  heart  of  John  to  see  by  nearer  view  "  the  holy 
city,  the  New  Jerusalem."  Certainly,  it  pleased 
Jesus  to  grant  this  vision,  and  it  may  be,  satisfy  the 
desire.  The  Apostle  had  seen  only  the  lines  of  light, 
and  recognized  that  the  object  was  the  "bride  of 
Christ."  He  says  :  "There  came  unto  me  one  of 
the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  vials  full  of 
the  seven  last  plagues  " — this  one  in  particular,  as 
if  to  keep  before  his  mind  that  no  other  order 
of  angels  was  to  be  sent  forth — "and  talked  with 
me;  "  and  as  John,  perhaps,  expressed  in  the  con- 
versation his  desire  to  see  the  holy  city,  the  angel 
said :  "  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride, 
the  Lamb's  wife.  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the 
spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain,  and  showed 
me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending 


3l8  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

out  of  heaven  from  God."  This  is  the  second  time 
that  the  description  is  given,  but  this  is  now  followed 
by  a  x^ox^  particular  view  of  the  thing  portrayed. 

I  shall  leave  it  for  you  to  read,  and  re-read,  the 
scripture  words  compact  with  meaning  and  glitter- 
ing with  beauty  which  delineate  the  city  of  God. 
I  call  your  special  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  city 
is  not  a  represciitation  of  heaven  as  such,  but  of  the 
Glorified  Church  of  Christ;  this  simply,  this  only. 
The  church  is  the  Lamb's  wife;  she  is  "that  great 
city,  the  holy  Jerusalem "  which  cometh  "  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride 
adorned  for  her  husband."  This  will  afford  you 
the  key  to  that  picture,  which,  next  to  vision  of 
the  Godhead,  is  the  greatest  and  grandest  of  the 
Revelation,  of  the  word  of  God. 

Wondrous  the  magnificence  of  the  church  as  she 
appears  in  apocalyptic  robes,  shining  in  light 
most  precious;  guarded  as  by  "wall  great  and 
high  "  and  by  mighty  angels,  and  thenceforth  se- 
cure from  all  her  foes ;  taking  in  all  the  tribes  of 
Israel — the  ancient  people  of  (xod,  the  Jews,  being 
brought  in  with  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles ;  com- 
jjrising  all    Denominations  of  true  Christians,  who 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  319 

shall  form  the  one  city  of  God,  the  one  bride  of 
Christ.  The  gates  of  the  city  look  toward  all  parts 
of  the  earth — east,  north,  south,  and  west.  T'he 
walls  are  seen  resting  upon  the  "  foundation  of  the 
apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being 
the  chief  corner-stone ; "  and  the  foundation  was 
*' garnished  with  all  manner  of  precious  stones" — 
glistening  with  the  truths  taught  by  Apostles  and 
Prophets  and  which  now  alone  are  fully  seen  in  all 
their  splendor ;  for  the  one  thing  peculiar  to  almost 
all  the  stones,  is  that  this  is  the  only  mention  of 
them  in  the  New  Testament,  and,  like  the  twelve 
precious  stones  on  the  high  priest's  breast-plate 
•under  the  old  Covenant,  they  reflect  with  the  pure- 
ness  of  the  highest  product  of  the  mineral  world, 
the  glory  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  as  they  are 
brought  to  the  light  of  his  throne,  as  into  the 
presence  of  the  Shekinah. 

The  city  appears  complete,  perfect :  "The  length 
and  the  breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal,"  for 
it  has  become  as  the  Holy  ot  Holies.  It  is  a  city 
of  gold,  since  the  church  shall  have  been  refined 
through  all  its  trials,  in  all  its  furnaces  of  affliction, 
coming  forth  as  pure  gold.       Although  it  has  many 


320 


THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 


gates,  all  are  precisely  the  same,  "each  several  gate* 
was  of  one  pearl ;  "  so  that  the  entrance  is  virtually 
one — Christ  being  forever  the  door  of  his  church, 
the  only  entrance  into  his  kingdom  hereafter  as  into 
his  spiritual  church  here.  There  was  "no  temple 
therein," — no  church  edifice,  no  peculiar  ecclesi- 
astical organization  ;  "  for  the  Lord  God  Almighty 
and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it."  "The  city 
had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to 
shine  in  it ; "  the  church  shall  not  need  these 
lights.  Now  and  in  the  past  this  appears  "  clothed 
with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and 
upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars."  Truth 
expressed  in  word  has  needed  to  be  a  garment  to 
her,  and  she  has  reflected  the  truth  as  from  the 
moon  beneath  her  feet,  even  giving  birth  to  the 
truth;  but,  then  "the  glory  of  God  doth  lighten  it 
and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof."  The  personal 
presence  of  Christ  shall  do  away  with  all  need  of 
what  simply  reflects  him  to  us. 

Mark  the  first  five  verses  of  the  twenty-second 
chapter.  They  should  not  have  been  separated  in 
any  way  from  the  preceding  words ;  for  they  are 
one,  and   serve   to  blend  heaven  and  earth  in  one. 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  321 

By  the  repetition  of  some  of  the  words,  and  the 
added  symbols  of  "  the  river  of  water  of  life,  clear 
as  crystal,"  "  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,"  of 
the  "  tree  of  life  in  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and 
on  either  side  of  the  river,"  bearing  ceaselessly  its 
fruits,  the  leaves  being  "  for  the  healing  of  the  na- 
tions " — of  all  the  glorified  nations  of  men  who  are 
akin  to  the  church,  to  whom  the  doors  of  worship 
are  always  open — by  these  things,  heaven  and  earth 
are  united;  and  these  figures  give  the  assurance  that 
the  blessed  and  holy  condition  is  to  last  forever. 

Here  is  the  water  of  life  that  gives  eternal  youth; 
here  is  the  fruit  of  life  never  failing  to  nourish  and 
satisfy  the  immortal  nature ;  and  no  baneful  in- 
fluences shall  ever  prevail,  for  the  leaves  of  the 
tree  shall  keep  the  air  forever  pure  from  withering, 
destroying  ill.  We  shall  not  only  live  in  endless 
health  ;  but  "  there  shall  be  no  more  curse  " — no 
more  sin,  for  "  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb 
shall  be  in  it ;  "  and  he  shall  prevent  all  evil  by  his 
ruling  power,  and  we  shall  "  reign  forever  and 
ever  "  over  our  sins  and  over  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness, for  "  there  shall  be  no  night  there ;  and  they 
21 


32  2  THE    REEDEMED    WORLD 

need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun ;  for  the 
Lord  God  giveth  them  light." 

All  this  is  the  picture  of  the  Bride  of  Christ 
when  she  shall  be  presented  to  him,  "  not  having 
spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing;"  but  shall  be 
"  holy  and  without  blemish."  The  city  prefigures  the 
church  in  its  glorified  state ;  the  new  heavens  and 
new  earth,  its  glorified  residence.  The  former  shall 
be  forever  open  to  God,  whose  light  shall  shine 
always  upon  it,  and  who  shall  dwell  in  his  people 
and  they  in  him.  As  did  the  Shekinah  fill  the 
temple  of  Solomon  when  this  was  dedicated,  so 
shall  the  real  presence  of  God  fill  the  hearts  of  his 
people,  and  they  "abide  in  "  him  as  within  temple- 
walls,  forever  holy  and  accepted.  His  kingdom 
shall  be  fully  set  up  "within  "  his  people,  the  hearts 
of  these  forming  his  throne.  Surely,  this  is  the 
glory  to  be  "revealed  in  us." 

It  is  difficult  for  those  who  are  so  prone  to  liter- 
alize  even  symbolic  representations,  and  who  have 
been  so  wont  to  think  of  the  New  Jerusalem  as  a 
picture  of  heaven  itself,  to  look  upon  that  exalted 
vision  as  an  image  of  the  church  glorified,  the 
"  bride  of  Christ."     Heaven  is   not  his   bride;  the 


AND    (GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  323 

church  is  :  and  this  is  one  with  the  New  Jerusalem. 
All  its  glories  form  a  rich  and  shining  figure  of  the 
community  of  the  saints  in  the  great  hereafter.  The 
city  is  the  simile  of  the  church  in  its  future  holi- 
ness and  security,  its  blessedness  and  worshipful- 
ness;  the  "nations"  walking  in  the  light  of  this, 
the  "kings  "  bringing  their  glory  and  honor  into  it, 
stand  for  the  glorified  saints  in  their  social  activities 
and  all  their  endless  life :  the  two — holy  worship 
and  heavenly  occupations — blending  forever 
through  the  never  closed  gates  of  the  eternal  city. 
The  "nations"  and  "city"  are  interchangeable, 
and  do  not  embrace  two  kinds  of  persons;  for  the 
gates  of  the  city  are  forever  open  to  all  the  resi- 
dents of  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth.  All  the 
declarations  of  the  Revelation  point  to  only  one 
class  as  having  access  to  the  city  or  composing  this; 
while  the  church,  radiant  with  heavenly  splendor, 
shall  be  linked  to  all  phases  of  that  future  and 
eternal  life.  "  There  shall  in  nowise  enter  into  it 
anything  that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh 
abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie  :  but  they  which  are 
written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life." 

III.    We   come   now   to  the  closing  lines  of  the 


324  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

Revelation  from  the  ascended,  living  Jesus.  One 
spirit  has  been  awakened  to  a  newer,  and  fuller, 
and  stronger  life  in  my  own  heart  by  my  studies  in 
this  great  portion  of  God's  word;  and  that  is,  the 
spirit  of  worship.  I  trust  this  has  been  called  forth, 
also,  in  yours.  Reluctantly  do  I  lay  down  the  con- 
sideration of  the  subject.  Not  that!  Nay,  we 
will  take  this  with  us,  in  a  broadened  understand- 
ing and  an  enlarged  heart,  into  all  time  to  come, 
and  be  better  prepared  in  mind  for  the  coming 
realities  of  the  future,  and — I  trust — for  the 
"  eternal  weight  of  glory  "  in  reserve  for  the  re- 
deemed. The  spirit  of  worship  was  the  chief 
thing  excited  in  John  as  he  looked  upon  the  shining 
symbols  and  ministering  angels.  Whether  his 
words,  in  the  last  chapter  of  the  book,  in  relation 
to  falling  at  the  feet  of  the  angel  to  worship,  are  a 
repetition  of  what  he  had  once  before  stated ;  or, 
we  are  to  understand  that  he  had  anew  mistaken 
the  angel,  now  personating  Christ  and  conveying 
his  message,  for  Christ  himself,  and  had  again 
prostrated  himself  in  worship  before  such  an  one : 
certain  is  it  that  he  was  possessed,  at  the  last  of  the 
visions,  with  a  most  fervent  spirit  of  worship.     Not 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  325 

permitted  to  worship  an  angel,  even  when  speaking 
in  the  name  of  Christ ;  we  do  fall  by  faith  at  Jesus* 
feet  and  "Crown  him  Lord  of  all." 

Words  are  now  spoken  which  give  us  to  know 
that  beyond  the  finality  of  the  things  he  has  por- 
trayed there  is  no  other  dispensation  of  grace  to 
sinners.  "  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust 
still :  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still : 
and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still: 
and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still."  This  is 
his  closing  argument :  that,  because  of  that  unalter- 
able condition  of  things  which  shall  virtually  come 
rapidly  to  each  and  all,  and  which  in  the  whole 
sweep  of  •  the  ages — until  Christ  shall  appear  in 
unveiled  reality — shall  take  place  quickly,  indeed, 
to  the  whole  world,  he  would  persuade  us  to  be  his 
disciples.  He  holds  forth  promise  of  reward,  and 
warnings  of  justice ;  he  dec*lares  his  authority  and 
endless  power  to  bless  and  to  punish,  as  the  "  Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the  first  and 
the  last."  He  urges  the  blessedness  of  those  who 
"  do  his  commandments  " — or,  as  another  render- 
ing has  it,  "  who  wash  their  robes,"  "  that  they  may 
have   right   to  the   tree   of    life,   and   may  enter  in 


326  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

through  the  gates  into  the  city;"  and  he  declares 
that  "  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whore- 
mongers, and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and 
whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie." 

We  remember  Jesus  in  the  days  of  his  earthly 
life  :  in  his  pleadings — at  times,  his  heart-broken 
pleadings  with  perverse  men;  when  he  wept  over 
Jerusalem  ;  when  he  lifted  up  his  voice  and  cried  : 
"  If  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  unto  me."  We 
think  of  his  dying  words  of  pity  and  love  to 
sinners ;  and  of  his  great  commission  of  mercy : 
and,  lo !  once  more  his  pleadings,  once  more  his 
invitations,  as  "the  root  and  offspring  of  David, 
and  the  bright  and  morning  star" — the  glory  of  the 
past  and  the  hope  of  the  future;  the  Messiah,  the 
coming  king;  and  he  pleads  with  thee,  at  the  last 
as  at  the  first,  with  all  who  hear  these  words  as 
with  those  who  heard  him  when  upon  earth;  and 
the  riches  of  his  love  and  anxiety  to  save  your  soul 
and  give  you  a  part  in  the  glories  of  his  church 
triumphant,  the  wealth  of  his  atoning  love  and 
living  grace,  is  crowded  into  one  word — "Come!  " 
Angel  voices  make  tremulous  the  air  with  song  of 
welcome  ;  they  sing  to  you.  Come  !   and  beckon  you 


AND    GLORIFIED    CHURCH.  327 

with  white  fingers  to  the  land  of  purity  and  love : 
''Take  heed  how  you  hear."  "The  spirit  in  thy 
heart  is  whispering,  Sinner,  come !  "  with  sweeter 
than  syren  voice  is  he  wooing  thee,  not  to  destruc- 
tion, but  to  endless  life.  The  fair  bride  of  Christ, 
on  her  way  to  the  marriage  feast,  says  to  thee, 
Come  !  and  offers  thee  from  the  bridegroom  the 
wedding  garment.  The  boatman  stands  on  the 
shores  of  Time — washed  forever  with  the  waves  of 
eternity — and  calls  after  thee  to  bear  thy  hopes 
onward  now,  and  thyself  thither  when  the  waters 
creep  at  thy  feet  chilling  in  death.  See  !  as  with  rain- 
bow tints  God  writes  about  the  world  of  beauty. 
Come  I  Over  the  gates  of  the  city  of  God  is  in- 
scribed, "Whosoever  will,  let  him  come!  "  Above 
the  door,  and  on  either  side,  is  placed  in  the  blood 
of  Christ — our  Passover — the  invitation.  Come  ! 

"  The  spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come !  And 
let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come  !  And  let  him  that 
is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
the  water  of  life  freely."  You  shall  not  say  that 
you  could  not  be  saved.  The  great  words  of  the 
infinite  love  of  the  infinite  Jesus  shall  rise  up  to 
condemn  you.     Oh  I  if   you   are  lost,  if  you  at  last 


328  THE    REDEEMED    WORLD 

are  "  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,"  it 
shall  be  because  "  ye  will  not  come  "  unto  him  that 
you  may  have  life.  Hear  Jesus  pleading  with  you 
as  from  heaven !  See  his  outreached  hands  of  love 
waiting  to  receive  you  !  Fly  as  for  thy  life  from 
the  burning  flood  of  hell  to  the  arms  of  redeeming 
and  glorifying  mercy ! 

In  his  great  love  Jesus  warns  you  against  seeking 
or  trusting  any  other  way  than  that  set  forth  in  his 
word ;  of  adding  to,  or  taking  from,  the  words  of 
the  book  of  this  prophecy.  The  effort  is  being 
made  to  do  so  now.  Attend,  then,  to  the  truth  ; 
that,  in  view  of  all  these  things,  with  your  eternal 
life  at  issue,  you  are  simply  to  "  come  to  Christ," 
by  humble,  true,  hearty,  sin  and  world  and  self  and 
satan-renouncing  faith,  to  be  saved  by  the  right- 
eousness and  atoning  merits  of  Jesus  only. 

Has  Jesus  said  to  us,  "  Come  ?  "  and  have  we  come 
to  Jesus.?  Then,  when  he  says:  "  Surely,  I  come 
quickly.  Amen ;  "  we  will  respond,  and  do  respond  : 
"Even  so,  Come,  Lord  Jesus."  That  you  may  be 
aided  to  come,  and  prepared  to  bid  him  come ;  do  1 
fervently  exclaim,  with  the  beloved  John  :  "  The 
grace  of  ow  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all    Amen." 


BS2827 .S61 

Divine  pictures  of  the  Christian 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1012  00014  1913 


>i&i';ii-tik:/^i^M 


